Garland appoints war crimes prosecutor Jack Smith as special counsel to oversee Trump probes
[Independent] Attorney General Merrick Garland
...rejected by the Republican-controlled Senate when President Obama submitted his name for the Supreme Court, as President Biden’s attorney general he daily demonstrates the wisdom of that decision... | has appointed Jack Smith, a former head of the Department of Justice public integrity section who previously served in prosecutorial roles at the International Criminal Court and the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, as a special prosecutor to consider whether former president Donald Trump should face criminal charges stemming from a series of ongoing probes into his conduct.
Mr Garland announced his plans at a news conference at Justice Department headquarters on Friday.
"Throughout his career, Jack Smith has built a reputation as an impartial and determined prosecutor, who leads teams with energy and focus to follow the facts, wherever they lead. As special counsel, he will exercise independent prosecutorial judgment to decide whether charges should be brought," said Mr Garland, who added that Mr Smith would be returning to the US from The Hague, where he has been serving as a chief prosecutor for the special court charged with investigating and prosecuting war crimes.
Mr Garland also said the appointment of Mr Smith as a special counsel would not slow completion of the investigations under his purview.
Posted by: Besoeker 2022-11-19 |