&w=3840&q=100)
US officials begin probe against attorney who investigated criminal cases against Trump
The US federal government has launched an investigation against special counsel Jack Smith, who investigated criminal cases against former US President Donald Trump in 2022. The US Office of Special Counsel said on Saturday that it would look into Smith's potential violation of the Hatch Act.
The Act in question restricts government employees from political involvement. The announcement of a probe came after Trump and his allies had previously alleged that Smith went after Trump without legal standing to thwart his second campaign for the presidency.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
It is pertinent to note that Former Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith just three days before the president announced his reelection bid. Since then, GOP lawmakers have been pushing for the special prosecutor to be investigated.
'Jack Smith's legal actions were nothing more than a tool for the [former President] Biden and [former Vice President] Harris campaigns. This isn't just unethical, it is very likely illegal campaign activity from a public office,' Senator Tom Cotton wrote in a Wednesday post on the social media platform X.
'Special Counsel Smith pushed for an out-of-the-ordinary, rushed trial for President Trump, with jury selection to begin just two weeks before the Iowa caucuses. No other case of this magnitude and complexity would come to trial this quickly,' the Arkansas senator added in a separate post.
What's Smith's take on the matter
Meanwhile, Smith has long defended his actions. 'The ultimate decision to bring charges against Mr. Trump was mine. It is a decision I stand behind fully,' Smith wrote in his final report published in mid-January. He made it clear that neither Garland nor anyone else at the Department of Justice encouraged him to prosecute Trump.
'To all who know me well, the claim from Trump that my decisions as a prosecutor were influenced or directed by the Biden administration or other political actors is, in a word, laughable," he added. Amid political pressure, Smith ultimately had to resign from the Justice Department (DOJ) after Trump's November win.
He eventually dismissed charges against the POTUS, arguing that he would have secured a conviction against the leader if the legal battles had been tried in court. 'The throughline of all of Trump's criminal efforts was deceit, knowingly false claims of election fraud, and the evidence shows that Trump used these lies as a weapon to defeat a federal government function foundational to the United States' democratic process,' Smith wrote at the time of his exit.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'Until Trump obstructed it, this democratic process had operated in a peaceful and orderly manner for more than 130 years,' he added. Earlier this month, Attorney General Pam Bondi fired 20 additional employees tied to Smith weeks before the Office of Special Counsel said it would investigate the prosecutor.
It is pertinent to note that the independent body can only research Smith's action and seek disciplinary measures for the federal employee. Investigators can present their findings to the DoJ, and the department can eventually decide whether to press criminal charges.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
5 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Providing justice for juveniles
Recently, the Karnataka High Court delivered a landmark judgment in criminal appeal no. 200093 of 2019, emphasising the crucial role that police and magistrates must play in identifying juvenile offenders at the very inception of a criminal case. It reiterated the need for vigilance when taking cognisance of offences involving juveniles. The court stressed that proper identification could prevent minors from being wrongly imprisoned with adults. Karthik, convicted of murdering Muniyappa, was the second accused in the case, while his father was the primary accused. Evidence established that Muniyappa had eloped with Chaitra, Karthik's sister, without the family's approval. Both Karthik and his father held a grudge against Muniyappa, and multiple eyewitnesses confirmed their involvement in the crime. When the matter reached the High Court on appeal, the issue of juvenility was raised. Under established legal principles, a plea of juvenility can be introduced at any stage of the proceedings — even after the trial has concluded. Juvenility refers to the claim that the accused was under 18 years of age at the time the offence was committed, in which case the individual should be tried under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (the JJ Act). In this case, the offence occurred in 2011, when the JJ Act, 2000, was in force. Though the application asserting juvenility was filed in 2023, the High Court clarified that as per Section 25 of the JJ Act, 2015, the law applicable at the time of the offence must prevail. The court firmly stated that if the police or magistrate had paid closer attention at the time of arrest and trial, Karthik could have been identified as a juvenile and placed under the juvenile justice system. Instead, he spent 13 years in an adult prison — a grave miscarriage of justice. The JJ Act mandates that minors must be presented before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). Unfortunately, in numerous cases, juveniles are incorrectly treated as adults and placed in jails, where they are exposed to physical violence, sexual abuse, and are at risk of becoming hardened criminals. Acknowledging the violation of Karthik's rights, the court awarded him compensation of ₹50,000 for having spent 13 years in jail. Had he been produced before the JJB, he would have served a maximum of three years in a juvenile home. In a precedent-setting move, the court ordered the Additional Registrar General, who holds the rank of a Sessions Judge, to conduct the inquiry into Karthik's juvenility claim. This ensured the matter was handled swiftly and with due judicial authority. The court also directed that the judgment be submitted to the JJ High Court Committee, reinforcing the need for systemic awareness and reform. Newly appointed members and chairpersons of the JJBs must now be sensitised to the updated Karnataka Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Rules, 2025. Additionally, police officials, advocates, magistrates, and judges of children's courts must be thoroughly informed about the 2025 rules. Too often, juveniles are treated as adults, despite their own pleas that they are underage. In many instances, magistrates deny them bail, and the psychological trauma of being placed in an adult jail can have long-lasting impacts. There have also been cases where juveniles arrested along with adult offenders are treated as adults and placed behind bars instead of observation homes meant for juveniles. In a recent judgment, the Patna High Court accepted a plea of juvenility raised 32 years after the alleged offence. In another judgment in criminal appeal No. 347 of 2018, the Supreme Court emphasised that a cautionary approach must be adopted when a plea of juvenility is raised. In this case, the appellant relied on a transfer certificate to support the claim of juvenility. However, the court reiterated that the determination of age must be based on the documents specified under the JJ Act. Since other official records indicated that the individual was not a minor at the time of the offence, the court rejected the plea of juvenility. The aim of the JJ Act is to provide a rehabilitative and reformative environment, allowing juveniles to reintegrate into society. This core purpose is undermined when minors are sent to adult prisons. Names have been changed to protect identity. Geeta Sajjanshetty is an Advocate at the High Court of Karnataka, Kalaburagi Bench, and former Juvenile Justice Board Member, Kalaburagi
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
SOG books 123 govt teachers for unfair means to get jobs
Jaipur: Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police registered an FIR against 123 govt schoolteachers, appointed through competitive exams such as REET over the past five years, for allegedly securing their jobs through fraudulent means. ADG (SOG) VK Singh said the FIR, filed last week, is part of a statewide drive to identify individuals who obtained govt jobs in the past five years using forged documents, backdated degrees, leaked exam papers, or impersonators. Officials said a significant number of the suspects belong to a single district in western Rajasthan . The list of teachers was provided by the education department after an internal review raised suspicions about their selection process. "These teachers are accused of using dummy candidates, affixing fake photographs, and employing unfair means to get their papers solved," an official said, requesting anonymity. The FIR invokes various IPC sections relating to cheating and criminal conspiracy, as well as provisions of the Rajasthan Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2022. The state govt had earlier directed all departments to review appointments made in the last five years, following a series of high-profile paper leak cases. Acting on this directive, the education department submitted the list of 123 names to the SOG. After a preliminary inquiry, the SOG registered FIRs and launched individual investigations into each case. Officials said more names could emerge as scrutiny continues. "The suspects will be called for questioning, and we have also sought documents they submitted when applying for govt jobs," said an official. Last week, the SOG unearthed a similar racket where 24 govt employees, the majority of them teachers, got appointments after submitting disability certificates. However, during a medical examination at the SMS hospital, they were found to be disqualified for any disability quota. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
Pocso accused escapes from police custody while being taken to hospital in Nashik
Nashik: A 20-year-old man accused in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act case escaped from police custody on Saturday evening. The incident occurred while the accused was being transported to the Nashik Civil Hospital. At 5.30pm, he pushed a police constable at the Pawan Nagar police chowkey and fled the scene. The Ambad police have registered a case against him under section 262 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension. Following his escape, the Ambad police have formed teams and dispatched them in various directions in search of the suspect. The accused had a case registered in July with the Ambad police station and was arrested early on Saturday in connection with that case. A police team consisting of a police officer, two constables, and three home guards were escorting him to the civil hospital for a medical examination when he managed to escape. Police officers said the accused will soon be arrested. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
