Four Quick takes on Jack Smith's report
And an observation about Todd Blanche's response to the report, which Smith included
I’ve read Jack Smith’s final report in full, including the attached letter from Mr. Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche, who wrote after being afforded the opportunity to read the document. Several things jump out.
The Independent Counsel took extraordinary care to act in accordance with the law, Department guidelines, and with the traditions of impartiality and even-handedness that are essential to administration of justice.
The evidence that Donald Trump engaged in a criminal effort to overturn the 2020 election is substantial and compelling. Smith describes the facts and the legal analysis that supported his decision to indict, and his confidence that he would obtain a conviction at trial.
There is ample evidence that Donald Trump attempted to intimidate witnesses, prosecutors and judges.
While the facts of the case were straightforward and compelling, the unprecedented attempt of a sitting president to overturn an election created enormous legal questions that were both important to consider and opportunities for exploitation and delay by Mr. Trump’s legal team. (Among them was the claim of immunity. Smith’s discussion of the Supreme Court decision in Trump v. The United States is fabulous.)
Smith concludes this way,
The Department’s view that the Constitution prohibits the continued indictment and prosecution of a President is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, with the Office stands fully behind. Indeed, but for Mr. Trump’s election and imminent return to the Presidency, the Office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial.
Mr. Blanche’s response behalf of his client Mr. Trump is notable too. Instead of the calm and reasoned arguments that make up the body of the report, his letter adopts a strategy of ad hominem attacks on Smith, calling him “an out of control private citizen,” working for a weaponized justice system. He goes on, threateningly, to claim that the release of the report violates a number of laws in an effort “to ‘unfairly damage the reputation’ of President Trump.”
Mr. Trump has tapped Blanche for a major role in the Justice Department. The tragedy continues.
You can read Jack Smith’s final report- Volume 1- here.