The Justice Department moves to drop Trump's election interference and classified documents charges.
Donald Trump's election interference and classified documents cases are expected to be dismissed after special counsel Jack Smith filed a motion on Monday to dismiss them.
The move announced in court filings signals the end of the Justice Department’s groundbreaking effort to hold Mr Trump accountable for what prosecutors termed a criminal conspiracy to cling to power in the run-up to his supporters’ attack on the US Capitol on Jan 6 2021.
Justice Department prosecutors, citing longtime department guidelines that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted, stated the government’s stance is that “the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated”. Justice Department prosecutors, citing longstanding department guidance that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted, said the department’s position is that “the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated”.
“That prohibition 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, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing. Federal prosecutors also moved to abandon the classified documents case against Mr Trump. The announcement was made in an appeals court filing in Florida.
