Justice Department looking to wind down Trump criminal cases before inauguration
The Justice Department is facing a decision to wind down two federal criminal cases against President-elect Trump as he gets ready to take the oath for a second term in the White House. This move is in line with the long-standing policy that prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president by Justice Department attorneys.
The argument for this decision stems from a memo issued by the Office of Legal Counsel in 2000, which echoes a legal stance from the Watergate era. The memo asserts that investigating a sitting president would infringe upon the separation of powers doctrine and interfere with the operations of the executive branch. It concludes that impeachment proceedings are the appropriate course of action when dealing with a president in office.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr has also expressed support for this position, stating that once Trump assumes office for his second term, prosecutors will be unable to pursue the cases during his presidency. Barr suggested that a Trump-appointed attorney general could halt the federal cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith in Washington, D.C., and Florida.
The charges in Washington, D.C., pertain to Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, while the Florida case revolves around his handling of classified documents after leaving office in 2020. Despite Trump’s inability to halt state cases in Georgia and New York, Barr emphasized the need for local prosecutors and judges to move past the spectacle of prosecuting the president-elect.
Barr highlighted that voters were aware of the criminal allegations against Trump when they re-elected him for a second term. He urged Attorney General Merrick Garland and state prosecutors to respect the people’s decision and dismiss the cases against President Trump.
As this story continues to develop, it is crucial to stay updated on any new developments. Breanne Deppisch, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the 2024 election and national news, will provide ongoing coverage of this evolving situation.
