{"id":2387189,"date":"2025-01-07T00:22:01","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T05:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-attorneys-demand-garland-withhold-jack-smiths-report-partisan-weapon-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-01-07T00:23:08","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T05:23:08","slug":"trump-attorneys-demand-garland-withhold-jack-smiths-report-partisan-weapon-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-attorneys-demand-garland-withhold-jack-smiths-report-partisan-weapon-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump attorneys demand Garland withhold Jack Smith\u2019s report: \u2018Partisan weapon\u2019 &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-attorneys-demand-garland-withhold-jack-smiths-report-partisan-weapon-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2387189&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In a recent development, attorneys representing President-elect Donald Trump\u2062 have\u200d requested Attorney General Merrick Garland to withhold special counsel Jack \u2064SmithS \u2062final report from the public, citing concerns over its legality and potential partisan bias. Trump&#8217;s legal team, led by Todd Blanche, expressed\u2062 their objections in a detailed letter after reviewing a draft of the\u200b two-volume document, arguing that Smith&#8217;s report serves merely as a &#8220;partisan \u200bweapon&#8221;\u2063 and that Smith was improperly appointed\u200b as special counsel.<\/p>\n<p>They asserted that releasing the\u2064 report would infringe \u200bon presidential immunity and impede Trump&#8217;s transition to office. The \u2063request was\u200b part of a court filing associated wiht Trump&#8217;s co-defendants in\u2063 his \u200bclassified \u200cdocuments\u2062 case, urging\u200b Judge\u2063 Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, to prevent the \u200dreport&#8217;s publication. Justice Department regulations stipulate that special counsels \u2063must submit a confidential final report, with the attorney general holding the power to decide on its public release.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump attorneys demand Garland withhold Jack Smith&rsquo;s report: &lsquo;Partisan weapon&rsquo;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1894217\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President-elect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Donald Trump\">Donald Trump<\/a>&lsquo;s attorneys asked Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/merrick-garland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Merrick Garland\">Merrick Garland<\/a> on Monday to withhold special counsel Jack Smith&rsquo;s final report from the public, arguing its release would be &ldquo;imprudent and unlawful.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s attorneys, led by his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amid-mounting-opposition-democrats-move-forward-on-stalled-justice-dept-nominee\/\" title=\"Amid Mounting Opposition, Democrats Move Forward on Stalled Justice Dept. Nominee\">deputy attorney general nominee<\/a>, Todd Blanche, made the demand in a scathing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/document\/812512935\/Letter-to-Smith?secret_password=Xuxn6g7FNcteSLKLPswq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">letter<\/a> after recently reviewing a draft of the two-volume report.<\/p>\n<p>They made numerous objections to the report&rsquo;s release and said it functioned only as a &ldquo;partisan weapon.&rdquo; They argued Smith was not properly appointed as special counsel and therefore not in a position to release such a report. They also said it violated presidential immunity and interfered with Trump&rsquo;s transition to the White House.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You must countermand Smith&rsquo;s proposed course of action, remove him, and stop the preparation and\/or dissemination of the Draft Report,&rdquo; Trump&rsquo;s attorneys wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The letter was included in a court filing the attorneys submitted in Florida late Monday night on behalf of Trump&rsquo;s two co-defendants in his classified documents case. In the filing, the attorneys asked Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, to bar Garland from releasing the report. Smith had been forced to terminate his criminal proceedings against Trump after his election win in November, but Smith kept intact the charges against the co-defendants, Walt Nauta, and Carlos de Oliveira.<\/p>\n<p>Justice Department regulations require special counsels to submit a confidential, final report detailing their work, and the attorney general has discretion over whether to release it. Recent special counsel reports have all been released to the public in redacted form, and the concealment of Smith&rsquo;s would deviate from the norm.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s attorneys argued, however, that Smith&rsquo;s entire appointment as special counsel was abnormal because he was a &ldquo;private citizen&rdquo; who had never been confirmed by the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The release of any confidential report prepared by this out-of<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">-control private citizen unconstitutionally posing<\/a> as a prosecutor would be nothing more than a lawless political stunt, designed to politically harm President Trump and justify the huge sums of taxpayer money Smith unconstitutionally spent on his failed and dismissed cases,&rdquo; Trump&rsquo;s attorneys wrote.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to reporters Friday, June 9, 2023, in Washington. Former President Donald Trump is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-not-involved-in-trump-indictment-says-white-house\/\" title=\"White House: Biden not implicated in Trump indictment.\">facing 37 felony charges related<\/a> to the mishandling of classified documents according to an indictment unsealed Friday. (AP Photo\/Jose Luis Magana)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The attorneys also said preparing and releasing the report violated the Presidential Transition Act and the Supreme Court&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-pleads-not-guilty-to-jack-smith-superseding-indictment-in-jan-6-case-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Trump pleads not guilty to Jack Smith superseding indictment in Jan 6 case - Washington Examiner\">landmark presidential immunity ruling<\/a> because it would &ldquo;exacerbate stigma and public opprobrium surrounding the Chief Executive and otherwise divert from the time and attention that is necessary to complete the transition and run the County.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>They also argued that although regulations required special counsels to write a final report at the conclusion of their work, Smith never concluded his investigations and prosecutions of Trump.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Rather, Presidential immunity based on the national mandate arising from President Trump&rsquo;s overwhelming victory in the election has made it impossible for Smith to proceed, and rightly so,&rdquo; they wrote.<\/p>\n<p>They also hinted at the contents of the report, saying it would prompt a &ldquo;media storm of false and unfair criticism&rdquo; of Trump that would interfere with his transition responsibilities.<\/p>\n<p>The attorneys said Smith included &ldquo;baseless attacks&rdquo; on members of Trump&rsquo;s incoming administration, which they described as &ldquo;an obvious effort to interfere with upcoming confirmation hearings.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Smith also goes on a &ldquo;pathetically transparent tirade about good-faith efforts by X to protect civil liberties&rdquo; in the report, Trump&rsquo;s attorneys said.<\/p>\n<p>They warned they planned to take legal action if Garland indicated he would release the report.<\/p>\n<p>Smith&rsquo;s report would be a chance for the special counsel to get in a detailed final word on his dual investigations and prosecutions of Trump related to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-cant-deny-responsibility-for-our-so-so-divided-nation\/\" title=\"Biden Can\u2019t Deny Responsibility For Our \u2018So, So Divided\u2019 Nation\">president-elect&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s handling of classified documents and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Smith had been forced to terminate both cases after Trump&rsquo;s election win because of a DOJ policy that discourages prosecuting sitting presidents.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reached out to the DOJ for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1894217\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1894217\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump&#8217;s lawyers urge Garland to keep Smith&#8217;s report private<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":2387190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24113489136370.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4849,10151,32463,48024,3634],"class_list":["post-2387189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-attorneys","tag-garland","tag-jack-smith","tag-partisan-weapon","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24113489136370.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2387189"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387189\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2387193,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387189\/revisions\/2387193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2387190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2387189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2387189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2387189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}