'On top of his game': Jack Smith hailed as his filing uses Trump appointee Bill Barr to refute ex-president's argument in documents case

WASHINGTON, DC: Special Counsel Jack Smith cleverly countered former President Donald Trump's attempt to dismiss his criminal Espionage Act case, leveraging Trump's own presidential appointee, former Attorney General Bill Barr, to invalidate the defense's claims, as per The Raw Story.

Trump is embroiled in a federal court case in Florida, accused of unlawfully storing and refusing to return classified documents from his presidency. The legal drama intensified when Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the case, rejected Trump advisor Stephen Miller’s request to contest a gag order under consideration.

Jack Smith points to Bill Barr's precedents to dismantle Donald Trump's argument

Amid these developments, Politico’s senior legal affairs reporter, Josh Gerstein, reported that Smith filed a robust brief opposing Trump’s bid to dismiss the case entirely. Trump's legal team contends that Smith’s appointment was invalid because he was not confirmed by the Senate, a standard they claim was set by Barr’s previous appointments.

To undermine this argument, Smith pointed to historical precedents set by Barr himself, as noted by journalist Adam Klasfeld. "Jack Smith just contradicted that in a supplemental briefing showing three of Barr's special counsel picks from 1991 and 1992," Klasfeld penned on X.

Gerstein further highlighted that Smith’s filing included "additional statutory authority opposing Trump’s claim of flawed prosecutor appointment," alongside a "list of Bill Barr's appointed special counsels from his first term as AG in the 1990s."

Federal law authorizes an attorney general to appoint a special counsel to investigate individuals with whom they may have a conflict of interest, a provision used in high-profile cases involving Richard Nixon and Hunter Biden.

In this instance, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith to investigate alleged crimes by Trump.

Smith's appointment and his legal actions have broader implications, especially as the Supreme Court deliberates on whether Trump can claim presidential immunity and whether his federal election interference prosecution can proceed.

The court’s decisions, expected through late June and early July, could significantly influence the trajectory of Trump's legal battles.

Jack Smith's legal move in Donald Trump's documents case draws praise

Smith's latest legal move in Trump's documents case sparked a wave of reactions online, with many praising him.

One user on X stated, "Jack Smith is always on top of his game. He will prosecute DJT." Another remarked, "Jack is just too smart for these parking lot attorneys. I bet they were surprised to find out Barr was AG in the 1990s. They obviously didn't know about these 3 Special Counsel appointments."

"Smith is 1 step ahead," wrote one commenter. Another added, "Jack Smith is always so thorough." "I love it. He’s got a chess move for every tic-tax-toe move Trump’s lawyers make," wrote another user. "They really think Smith hasn't done his homework," chimed in one more.

Someone else posted, "Jack smith is serious as death here. He’s not fooling around." Lastly, a user commented, "Trump lawyers are inferior to Jack Smith."

 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.