Special Counsel Urges Judge to Reject Trump’s Personal Ownership Defense in Classified Documents Case
Special counsel Jack Smith is pushing for a reversal in the judge’s decision regarding former President Donald Trump’s claim of personal ownership of classified documents. Smith argued that Trump’s assertion of having unchecked authority to label records as personal property is simply untrue.
According to evidence presented by Smith, Trump’s representatives and high-ranking officials have never heard Trump designate any records as personal. Smith’s office even issued a warning that they would seek relief from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals if the judge continues to entertain Trump’s interpretation of the Presidential Records Act.
Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the mishandling of classified materials after leaving the White House, faced more setbacks as the 11th Circuit Court’s opinion stated that he has no personal interest in the documents seized during an FBI search of Mar-a-Lago.
Furthermore, communications between Trump’s team and Judicial Watch president suggested an acknowledgment that the records in question were of a presidential nature, not personal. The special counsel also included drafts of what they deemed as “incorrect” jury instructions based on Judge Cannon’s order.
In response, Trump’s legal team proposed hypothetical jury instructions that would secure an immediate acquittal. Despite the trial being scheduled to commence on May 20, the judge is expected to delay the date due to the recent arguments presented by both sides. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
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