Special Counsel Jack Smith working to wrap up Mar-a-Lago classified records investigation: Source
Fox News
The special counsel investigating former President Trump’s alleged improper retention of classified records at Mar-a-Lago is working to wrap up his probe, a source familiar with the investigation told Fox News Digital.
The source told Fox News Digital that Special Counsel Jack Smith has been working to wrap up the probe for weeks. It’s unclear when Smith will announce his findings or whether he plans to prosecute Trump.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Smith has completed interviews with almost every employee at Mar-a-Lago, including top political aides and other staff, and has conducted numerous grand jury interviews in recent weeks.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith, a DOJ official, as special counsel to investigate Trump’s alleged improper retention of classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago home.
Smith was appointed in November, soon after the FBI raided Trump’s private residence at Mar-a-Lago in connection with the Justice Department’s investigation into the matter, after the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) claimed Trump took 15 boxes of presidential records to his personal residence in Florida.
Those boxes allegedly contained “classified national security information,” and official correspondence between Trump and foreign heads of state.
NARA notified Congress that the agency recovered the 15 boxes from Mar-a-Lago and “identified items marked as classified national security information within the boxes.” The matter was referred to the Justice Department by NARA.
Trump said this year that the National Archives did not “find” the documents, but that they were “given, upon request.” Sources close to the former president said he had been cooperating and there was “no need” for the raid.
Classified material that was reportedly confiscated by the FBI during the raid Monday included a letter to Trump from former President Obama, a letter from Kim Jong Un, a birthday dinner menu and a cocktail napkin.
Smith also took over the Justice Department’s investigation into the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. In that role, he examined whether Trump or other officials interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on that day.
President Biden is also currently under special counsel investigation for his alleged improper retention of classified records from the Obama administration. Former Vice President Pence also had classified records at his home, a matter under review by the Justice Department.
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Every administration since President Reagan has mishandled classified materials, according to testimony from officials from the National Archives and Records Administration.
The officials testified that NARA was “not aware of missing classified information” when it was reviewing Trump’s presidential records, but instead, “were aware of missing records.”
The official said NARA’s initial outreach to the Trump team came after officials noticed that they were missing “high-visible items” from the Trump administration.