Miami, Jan 11 (EFE).- United States special counsel Jack Smith has resigned from the Justice Department after delivering his final report on the two federal criminal cases he led against US president-elect Donald Trump, according to a court document filed Saturday in Florida.
“The Special Counsel completed his work and submitted his final confidential report on January 7, 2025, and separated from the Department on January 10,” a footnote on the filing said.
According to the document, Smith delivered the report last Tuesday to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, who has the power to decide whether to publish it, which Trump opposes.
The report details the two investigations led by Smith: one related to Trump’s hoarding of classified documents at his private Mar-a-Lago residence, and another on the incoming president’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which culminated in the assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
In the filing, the Department of Justice asked US District Judge Aileen Cannon not to extend her restriction temporarily blocking part of Smith’s report from being released, saying she overstepped her authority and that she has no power to block Garland from releasing Smith’s findings.
On Thursday, a federal appeals court rejected the emergency request made by Trump’s lawyers to prevent the publication of Smith’s report in the case on electoral interference.
On Friday night, Justice Department lawyers also asked the appeals court to quickly reverse Cannon’s order. The court was barred from doing so until Monday.
Garland has hinted at his interest in releasing the volume on the election interference case before Trump returns to the White House.
US news outlet Politico reported that Garland said he intends to release part of the report on the election interference case, while the other volume on the classified documents case will be kept under wraps due to prosecutors’ ongoing efforts to revive a criminal case against two Trump allies and former co-defendants.
Judge Cannon dismissed the case of the former president’s mishandling of classified documents last July, arguing that the attorney general lacked the authority to appoint Smith.
The Supreme Court also struck down the election interference case by ruling in Trump’s favor on the grounds of presidential immunity.
Smith’s resignation is not surprising, given that Trump had said that among the first things he would do upon returning to the White House would be to sign his dismissal.
On Friday, Trump was sentenced to «unconditional discharge,» which carries no jail time or fine, for his hush money case, and thus is to become the first US president with a criminal conviction. EFE
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