Trump lawyers meet officials at DOJ as special counsel probe on classified documents near end
Fox News
President Trump’s legal team met with federal law enforcement officials Monday at the Justice Department to discuss its claims of prosecutorial misconduct in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into classified records.
Trump attorneys James Trusty, Lindsey Halligan and John Rowley met with officials at the Justice Department Monday after writing a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland last month and requesting a meeting to “discuss the ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated by your Special Counsel and his prosecutors.”
SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH WORKING TO WRAP UP MAR-A-LAGO CLASSIFIED RECORDS INVESTIGATION: SOURCE
Garland tapped DOJ official Jack Smith to serve as special counsel to investigate Trump’s alleged improper retention of classified records from his presidency at his private residence at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla.
Smith was tapped after the FBI seized classified records from Mar-a-Lago during an unprecedented raid on his home in August. 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.
The meeting between Trump’s legal team and DOJ officials Monday came as sources have indicated Smith may be close to wrapping up his investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents after leaving the White House.
Sources confirmed to Fox News that federal investigators have in their possession a July 2021 audio recording of Trump, in which he allegedly acknowledges holding onto a sensitive military document after leaving office. Trump has said that he had declassified all material taken from the White House. Sources said that document dealt with national security discussions at the White House about a potential military action against Iran.
The former president said he does not recall the summer 2021 meeting that was allegedly recorded.
It’s unclear when Smith will announce his findings or whether he plans to prosecute Trump.
While his attorneys met at the Justice Department Monday, Trump posted on his TRUTH Social slamming the investigation.
“How can DOJ possibly charge me, who did nothing wrong, when no other presidents were charged, when Joe Biden won’t be charged for anything, including the fact that he has 1,850 boxes, much of it classified, and some dating back to his Senate days when even Democrat senators are shocked,” Trump posted.
“Also, President Clinton had documents, and won in court,” Trump continued. “Crooked Hillary deleted 33,000 emails, many classified, and wasn’t even being close to being charged!”
He added: “Only Trump—the greatest witch hunt of all time!”
Trump was referring to the classified records discovered in President Biden’s office at the Penn Biden Center last year. Those records were from his time as vice president during the Obama administration and from his tenure in the U.S. Senate.
PENCE WILL FACE NO CHARGES FROM DOJ, FBI INVESTIGATION INTO RETENTION OF CLASSIFIED RECORDS
At the time, Garland initially chose U.S. Attorney John Lausch to conduct a review of classified records that were discovered at the Penn Biden Center. In December, more classified records were found at Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware home, but the discoveries were not made public until this year.
Garland later appointed U.S. Attorney Robert Hur as special counsel to investigate Biden’s improper retention of classified records. Hur took over the DOJ investigation from Lausch.
Meanwhile, classified records were also found at former Vice President Mike Pence’s home in Indiana.
Fox News reported last week that the Justice Department had completed its investigation in the matter and that Pence will not be charged.
The status of Biden’s special counsel investigation is unclear.
Trump, Biden, and Pence are all running for president in 2024.
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.