WASHINGTON, 18 Nov. Attorney General and Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday announced the appointment of a special counsel to investigate former President Donald Trump.
«Today, I am announcing the appointment of a special prosecutor in connection with two ongoing criminal investigations that have received extensive public coverage,» Garland said during a special speech broadcast by all major US television channels. The position will be filled by Jack Smith, who previously served at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and until recently was a prosecutor with the Special Court for Kosovo. after the 2020 presidential election, whether an individual or entity interfered with the transfer of power», implying Trump's possible involvement in the storming of the Capitol by his supporters in January 2021.
In addition, the special counsel intends to investigate the legality of Trump's possession of classified government documents at the former president's Mar-a-Lago private estate in Florida, as well as the possible obstruction of inspections in this regard.
According to Garland, the appointment of a special counsel public interest» as Donald Trump officially registered as a presidential candidate in 2024.
«Based on recent events, including the former president's announcement that he is a presidential candidate in the next election and the intention of the incumbent President also become a candidate, I came to the conclusion that the appointment of a special prosecutor is in the public interest,» the head of the US Department of Justice said.
Trump this week announced his intention to run again for the US presidency in 2024. The current head of state, Joe Biden, has also repeatedly made it clear that he hopes to compete for the presidency again.