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Jack Smith Resigns After Probing Trump's 2020 Election Actions, Cites Evidence for Four Charges

Jan 14, 2025, 07:09 PM

Special counsel Jack Smith, who led two criminal investigations against Donald Trump, resigned ahead of the president-elect's inauguration. Smith's investigations focused on Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and mishandling of classified documents. Despite the resignation, Smith's final report, released just days before Trump's inauguration, asserts that there was sufficient evidence to convict Trump on four charges for trying to subvert the 2020 election results. The report details Trump's actions, including pressuring Department of Justice officials, state officials, and Vice President Mike Pence to alter the election outcome. Smith also clarified that Trump was not charged with insurrection due to the legal risks associated with the long-dormant statute and lack of precedent for charging a sitting president with such a crime, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's immunity ruling. The report also highlights the violence during the January 6 riot, which Trump has vehemently denied inciting. Trump has labeled Smith's report as politically motivated and claimed exoneration through his 2024 election victory.