POLITICS
Smith transfers Mar-a-Lago docs case to US attorney’s office
A last resort endeavor in the continuing legal processes involving Trump’s co-defendants has begun with special counsel Jack Smith moving the Mar-a-Lago documents case to federal prosecutors in Florida, according to surfacing reports.
On Friday, Smith officially turned over the Mar-a-Lago documents case to the Southern District of Florida federal prosecutors. This ruling is crucial in the prosecution of Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, co-defendants of President-elect Donald Trump.
While citing Justice Department regulations that forbid prosecuting a sitting president, Smith withdrew all charges against Trump in November. Trump’s election case was quickly resolved, and his involvement in the Mar-a-Lago documents case came to an end when the charges were dismissed without prejudice.
However, there is still no resolution to the legal issues involving Trump’s personal valet, Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago property manager de Oliveira. Accusations against both individuals include obstructing the course of justice, lying to investigators, and hiding official papers.
The allegations are based on claims that the two were involved in a larger plot to conceal boxes containing thousands of documents from Trump’s former lawyer and federal investigators. Approximately 300 documents with classified marks were allegedly among these materials.
According to investigators, the records were unlawfully removed from the White House after Trump’s presidency and failed to be returned to the National Archives as mandated by law.
It’s also important to note that crucial findings were discovered in a separate investigation concerning President Joe Biden’s mishandling of confidential documents. However, a report by DOJ Special Counsel Robert Hur found “no grounds” for criminal charges against Biden due to his old age and mental decline.
According to the report, Biden “willfully” kept and shared highly sensitive documents when he was a private citizen. It also noted his “poor memory” of what happened and his uncertainty about the situation, which were allegedly factors in the decision to drop charges.
