US prosecutor drops election subversion, classified documents cases against Trump

Special Counsel Jack Smith on Monday moved to drop the federal election subversion and the mishandling of classified documents cases against President-elect Donald Trump. In his filings Smith said the cases should be dropped because of the long-standing US justice department policy of not indicting or prosecuting a sitting president.

Special Counsel Jack Smith on Monday moved to dismiss the federal cases against US President-elect Donald Trump -- including one for election subversion -- citing an official policy of not prosecuting a sitting president.

Trump, 78, was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House, but neither case ever came to trial.

Smith, in a filing with the district judge in Washington presiding over the election case, said it should be dropped in light of the long-standing Justice Department policy of not indicting or prosecuting a sitting president.

Smith asked District Judge Tanya Chutkan to dismiss the election interference case "without prejudice" -- leaving open the possibility it could be revived after Trump leaves office four years from now.

(AFP)


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