Jack Smith files to drop Jan. 6 charges against Donald Trump
SUMMARY
In a significant legal victory for President-elect Donald Trump, Special Counsel Jack Smith has filed to drop all four felony charges against him related to the 2020 election and January 6th. The charges, which included conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of an official proceeding, were initially filed in August 2023 but have now been set aside by the Justice Department. Smith’s motion explains that, while the merits of the case remain unchanged, the timing of Trump’s re-election as president requires the charges to be dismissed in line with longstanding Justice Department policy preventing the prosecution of a sitting president. Trump’s legal team and supporters celebrated the decision, calling it a victory for the rule of law and an end to what they described as the political weaponization of justice. Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, emphasized that this decision affirms Trump’s belief that the charges were unconstitutional from the start.
