Firebrand Florida Congressman and staunch Trump supporter Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has returned fire in the case against the former president brought by Biden Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith. Gaetz is alleging the prosecutor is trying to influence the 2024 General Election unfairly by pushing for an early start date for the criminal trials against the GOP frontrunner.
Gaetz asserts that Smith essentially admits the case against President Trump is political by pushing SCOTUS for a rapid review of Trump’s immunity claim, stating “public importance” to the case, “without once explicitly stating why the rapidity is warranted, or what the public importance is.”
The Florida Congressman continued: “Were there a legitimate, non-election related purpose for this request, these attorneys, who have filed in appeals courts many times, would have listed such. There can only be one conclusion: Special Counsel Jack Smith sees it as of paramount importance to hold a trial before the November 2024 election, but he is unable to explicitly say so, as such a justification is in violation of Departmental policy and law.
The letter to Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz warns of damage to the reputation of an already embattled DOJ if Smith is permitted to pursue what Gaetz considers an overtly political agenda against Trump for the January 6th riot at the Capitol. Smith’s case is delayed while SCOTUS considers the immunity case, and coupled with Trump’s lawyers filing numerous appeals, the case could be pushed to late in the summer.
Rep. Gaetz wrote that federal prosecutors “may never select the timing of any action, including investigative steps, criminal charges, or statements, for the purpose of affecting any election, or for the purpose of giving an advantage or disadvantage to any candidate or political party.” Gaetz told The Daily Wire on Wednesday that Smith’s pursuit of Trump is clearly political.
Gaetz added: “The witch hunt against President Trump by Attorney General Garland and Special Counsel Smith is a partisan exercise, and the American people know it. The actions of the Special Counsel Smith to speed up the trial against President Trump violate the DOJ’s rules and the law. His public comments and his office’s briefs before the Supreme Court demonstrate that he has no reason for his actions other than to unlawfully interfere in the 2024 presidential election.”
SCOTUS had previously rejected a request from Smith to take up the immunity question in December, opting to allow the issue to be considered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. A panel of the appeals court subsequently ruled against the immunity claim, prompting the Supreme Court last month to agree to take the case. An oral argument is scheduled for April 25th.
The cases thrown at Trump continue to fail, and undoubtedly, SCOTUS will rule in the former president’s favor on the immunity case. Jack Smith’s case is clearly partisan and an overt attempt to bog Trump down in court when he should be on the campaign trail. That amounts to election interference, and hopefully, Jack Smith can be held responsible for his part in the Trump witch hunt.
