Special Counsel Jack Smith has defended the lack of criminal charges against Hillary Clinton for her mishandling of classified information on her private email server.
President Donald Trump has cited Clinton’s case in his defense against Smith’s charges of mishandling classified documents.
In a dramatic turn of events, Smith has vehemently countered Trump’s claims in the ongoing criminal case regarding classified documents.
(…) However, Smith’s filings argue that Trump’s case is markedly different due to the nature and intention behind the retention of the documents.
Smith’s argument emphasizes that, unlike others who may have “unintentionally” kept confidential documents, Trump’s actions were “deliberate.”
(…) In the latest court filing, Smith tries to dismantle Trump’s comparison to the Clinton email case.
At the time, the DOJ said Clinton was not prosecuted due to a “lack of evidence” of “intentional misconduct.”
In stark contrast, Trump is accused of not only knowingly possessing secret documents but also intentionally withholding them.
In his defense of Clinton, Smith argues there is a clear distinction from any past cases involving the mishandling of classified information.
Smith’s refutation of Trump’s claim of immunity under the Presidential Records Act further complicates Trump’s defense.
According to Smith, the Act does not absolve Trump of his actions, as the classified documents in question were not personal but related to national security, thus falling outside the scope of the Act’s protection.