Donald Trump Gets Angry With Jack Smith As FBI Investigations Close In

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Donald Trump has criticized special counsel Jack Smith amid reports that he is expanding two criminal investigations into the former president.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Smith, the prosecutor leading the classified documents and January 6 inquiries into Trump, of releasing stories to the press “like a sieve” following two major updates on investigations.

On February 9, it was first reported that former Vice President Mike Pence had been subpoenaed to testify as part of the investigation into the chaos at the Capitol and Trump’s attempt to subvert the 2020 election.

Recently, The New York Times first reported that Smith was seeking additional testimony from Trump’s lawyer Evan Corcoran in the investigation into classified materials found at the former president’s Florida home.

In this composite photo, Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home on November 15, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida and a file photo of US Prosecutor Jack Smith (Inset). Getty

“Radical Left (Trump hate!) Special ‘Prosecutor’ Jack Smith is leaking to the Fake News Media like a sieve,” Trump wrote.

“He’s going crazy trying to catch the political candidate who is ahead of his ‘boss’ in the polls, and won the 2020 Presidential Election, except for the fact that it’s RIGGED. He has a job, and is trying to scare and scare the witnesses, even lawyers who have never seen such shenanigans before.”

Pence is seen as a key witness in the January 6 investigation, with Smith calling for his testimony in a sign that the investigation is nearing completion.

“This indicates that the DOJ is seriously considering criminal charges against Trump for January 6,” Barbara McQuade, a University of Michigan law professor and former US attorney, told Newsweek.

“It also suggests that charges are imminent. Prosecutors typically question key witnesses at the end of an investigation after they know as much as they can about the facts.”

Legal experts also said the request for additional testimony from Corcoran was a significant step in the classified documents case.

Corcoran has appeared before a special grand jury in Washington, DC as part of the investigation, but cited attorney-client privilege to decline to answer some questions.

Prosecutors now hope to compel Corcoran to answer additional questions while citing the so-called crime-fraud exception, meaning the normally fully protected attorney-client privilege cannot be invoked if an attorney and their client is allegedly trying to cover up or communicate. in a crime.

Because the Department of Justice cited a crime-fraud exception in a sealed motion to Beryl Howell, chief judge of the US District Court in DC, to compel Corcoran to testify again, it’s an indication that prosecutors believe Trump or one of his allies. the lawyer’s services may have been used to commit a crime.

“This was a bold move by Jack Smith to avoid attorney/client privilege and otherwise, non-answers from Trump’s counsel,” Andrew Lieb, attorney and managing partner of Lieb & Law, PC, said in Newsweek.

“Regardless of what Judge Howell rules, expect an appeal because this is a major turning point in the case,” Lieb said.

The Department of Justice has been contacted for comment.

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