Trump's legal battles: Shaping future of federal prosecutions
Following Donald Trump's decisive victory in the presidential election, special prosecutor Jack Smith faces a decision on how to conclude two federal cases against the newly elected president, NBC News reports.
The American media reports that Jack Smith must decide on the future of two federal cases against Donald Trump. These involve alleged crimes after the 2020 election when Trump reportedly tried to retain power despite losing.
NBC News wonders whether these proceedings could be resumed after Trump's term or if the charges will expire. Questions also arise about the fate of the evidence and the other individuals accused of helping to hide secret documents. It is also unclear whether the special prosecutor will draft a report summarising the case.
Meanwhile, Trump's legal team is considering its own legal actions to resolve outstanding federal cases in his favour. The ultimate goal is to dismiss all federal and state cases completely.
Trump's criminal case in New York also presents other challenges, as sentencing is scheduled for November 26 at Greenwich Mean Time. Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of first-degree falsification of business records. The charges stem from the payment by Republican intermediary Michael Cohen of £100,000 to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels a few days before the 2016 election to conceal a sexual affair.
Trump's legal team is seeking to defer or completely dismiss these charges. The election interference case in Georgia also remains on hold due to appeals concerning ethical issues related to the district attorney.
Republican campaign spokesman Steven Chung declared: "The American people have re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again. It is now abundantly clear that Americans want an immediate end to the weaponization of our justice system, so we can, as President Trump said in his historic speech last night, unify our country and work together for the betterment of our nation."
NBC News reminds us, referencing the Office of Legal Counsel of the Department of Justice's 2000 opinion, that prosecuting a sitting president would "unduly interfere in a direct or formal sense" with his duties. In such cases, impeachment is the only proper course of action.
According to NBC forecasts, following his election win, Trump will likely never face legal consequences for serious federal charges. Some commentators believe the charges against him are more serious than those that led to the Watergate scandal and Richard Nixon's resignation from the presidency.
