General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDuring the excellent interview Nicolle conducted with Jack Smith
I picked up on one thing that has not been widely debated in the media and here, on DU.
She asked him how we should go after all the people who enabled Trump, in particular, DOJ lawyers breaking or at least bending the laws and regulations to feed Trump's retribution campaign.
Smith was kinda lukewarm on this. His first reaction was that it does not matter that we do not like what these people are doing or did, prosecuting them may not be the answer or even easily feasible. We need to return to a rule of law and a DOJ that abides by standards of conduct, etc..
I took that as meaning that if he were ever nominated (hypothetically) to be the AG during a democratic administration, he would be a stickler to the rules to the point that these guys would skate free. I understand his point of view, it is just frustrating to me that we democrats are supposed to behave and stick to the rules while the GOP can run roughshod over everything and get away with it.
Mz Pip
(28,551 posts)He just would go after specific people looking for crimes, like Trump is doing.
Srkdqltr
(10,183 posts)He held back a whole lot. Probably for the best.
drray23
(8,858 posts)Is sealed by order of judge Canon. Smith explicitly said he could not comment on it in order to not violate that gag order.
I believe its being challenged in court.
Wiz Imp
(10,944 posts)Srkdqltr
(10,183 posts)TommyT139
(2,550 posts)...if you are referring to her asking about Chris Wray (? I think it was) -- by name. If that's the part, I think JS was mostly declining to get into a specific criticism of someone, which would have become a soundbyte that would get more airtime, with less impact. That would be all we heard from the interview, if we didn't watch it live. Refraining from personal comment about someone in the past was a "trap" he didn't fall for.
Instead, he broadened the point out to make his comments more generally applicable, leaving it up to each person to do as they decide to do based on their own situation.
As to whether a person gets prosecuted, he has been clear about his working understanding of DOJ policies and priorities -- needing enough evidence to prove the case, and also making sure that limited resources are going to the most serious crimes. It's that sense of "picking one's battles" that makes his comments about Trump stealing documents so worth our attention: that he (and the DOJ) had more than enough evidence to prove Trump's guilt.
And Lord knows, if there is an opportunity for housecleaning in this country's future, there will need to be a serious look at who gets brought up on trial -- and what form those trials take.