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‘Truth Must Prevail’: Garland Urged to ‘Release the Damn Report’ on Jack Smith’s Trump Probe
Special Counsel Jack Smith, set to leave his office before Donald Trump is sworn in as President in less than two weeks, has indicated that he will deliver his report to Attorney General Merrick Garland Tuesday afternoon. The two-volume report details the findings of his investigations into the now-President-elect, which resulted in felony charges against Trump. These charges stem from his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including his role in the January 6 insurrection, as well as the alleged unlawful removal and retention of highly classified documents from the White House.
By law, Special Counsels are required to send a report of their findings to the Attorney General. Even Trump Attorney General Bill Barr released a highly redacted version of the Mueller Report, although he did so after mischaracterizing the findings in a letter he published ahead of the release. (A federal judge later said the letter was a “distorted” and “misleading” account of Mueller’s report.)
Critics, including legal experts, are demanding Attorney General Garland release Smith’s report to the public.
“Follow the law, release the reports,” urged conservative Bill Kristol of The Bulwark. “Just as AG Garland released special counsel Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents, the AG should now release Weiss’s report on Hunter Biden and Smith’s report on Trump and Jan. 6, and Trump and classified documents.”
But Trump is in court attempting to block its release. Trump’s attorneys were allowed to review the draft report, and reportedly spent three days in Jack Smith’s office doing so, Politico reported.
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“In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland sent Monday, Trump’s lawyers said they were allowed to review Smith’s report in the criminal case in which Trump was charged with conspiring to keep classified documents after he left office,” The Daily Beast reports. “They threatened legal action if it is released, noting Smith’s findings include strongly worded allegations that Trump ‘engaged in an unprecedented criminal effort’ and describe him as ‘the head of the criminal conspiracies.'”
Trump’s lawyers referred to the Special Counsel as an “out-of-control private citizen unconstitutionally posing as a prosecutor.”
Noting that Trump’s attorneys said the decision about releasing the report should be left to the incoming Trump DOJ, Politico adds, “In the letter to Garland, Trump’s attorneys said that releasing a public narrative of the evidence Smith gathered — in the classified documents case as well as the federal election conspiracy case over Trump’s bid to subvert the 2020 election — would illegally interfere with the presidential transition and be little more than a political attack.”
The Guardian’s Hugo Lowell reports Trump’s attorneys are also asking Garland to remove Smith.
New — Trump’s lawyers asked AG Garland in an emailed letter today to remove Special Counsel Jack Smith and stop the release of his Final Report, per court filings pic.twitter.com/XIQ5Daij7P
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) January 7, 2025
Politico’s Kyle Cheney reported Tuesday morning that “Jack Smith says AG Garland has not decided whether to release his reports to the public and won’t do so before Jan. 10 at the earliest. Smith won’t send his classified docs report to Garland before this afternoon at 1pm.”
January 10 is the date Donald Trump is slated to be sentenced by New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan in the business fraud case, commonly referred to as the “hush money” case, which prosecutors called “election fraud, pure and simple.” Trump was found guilty by a jury on 34 felony counts, making him the first former U.S. president to be convicted of felonies.
Cheney also reported late Tuesday morning that “Trump is preparing to formally intervene in the effort to block Jack Smith’s report, his codefendants say. And they’re asking the 11th circuit to send the case back to [Judge Aileen] Cannon so she can rule on it.”
Among those urging Attorney General Garland to release the report is Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges, who was crushed by January 6 rioters as he defended the Capitol and the lawmakers inside it.
In a letter to AG Garland, portions of which Cheney posted, Hodges wrote, “I was beaten, crushed, and had one of my eyes gouged – and I would do it all again if it meant preserving the Republic.”
“Donald Trump is once again going to get away with his crimes. I don’t know if there is anything you could have done differently to have guanteed [sic] the opportunity for justice, and that’s not why I’m writing today,” Hodges noted. “I’m writing because, while he may have evaded justice, it is imperative that history know the extent of his crimes. Please: release Jack Smith’s final report of his investigation to
the public.”
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“Even in this age of unparalleled propaganda, misinformation, and lies, the truth still matters. We must do everything we can to see that it is given the opportunity to take root in our society, and aid pathfinding of our future by illuminating our past,” he continued. “This report is the closest I and many Americans will ever get to closure with regards to Trump and his role in the insurrection. I implore you to release the report. If not for your own legacy, then for the benefit of Americans everywhere, and democracies around the world.”
Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) issued a lengthy statement, concluding: “AG Garland now has a duty to release the Justice Department Report and prevent its evidence from being destroyed. The truth must prevail. The framers of our Constitution knew the lessons of history — that people led by men without character can quickly lose their freedom.”
Former federal and state prosecutor Ron Filipkowsi, the editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch News, responded to Liz Cheney:
“At the VERY LEAST, since he accomplished nothing else to hold the leaders of this accountable, Merrick Garland needs to release the damn report and stop being afraid of his own shadow. Weak people all over this Admin[istration] is part of what got us here.”
Former Obama senior advisor David Axelrod noted, “Trump had no objection when the Justice Department released the special counsel report at the close of its investigation of Biden’s handling of classified documents. This was WHILE BIDEN WAS PRESIDENT. Now Trump argues the same should not apply to him.”
Award-winning and well-known attorney Ted Boutrous on Monday evening said simply, “Attorney General Garland should release the report(s) tomorrow.”
Some have suggested that President Joe Biden might be able to fire Garland and install an acting AG who would then release the report, or, others have suggested, release it via an executive order, neither of which seem likely.
Over at The Bulwark, Kristol seemed certain Garland will release the report. But he also expanded his thoughts, writing: “In a sense, the release now of Smith’s report will simply signify the failure of the effort, over the last four years, of accountability and truth-telling about January 6th. It will be the last gasp, for now, of a lost cause.”
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Image by U.S. Dept. of Justice via Wikimedia Commons
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House Republicans, especially the California delegation, are facing sharp criticism after spending portions of the weekend with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort and residence. They reportedly discussed ways to take the unprecedented approach of tying passage of relief funds—for the Golden State’s historic wildfire disaster—to raising the debt ceiling, as the fires continue to burn and the death toll rises to 24 people.
“Of the nearly two dozen House Republicans who attended the Sunday dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where this option was discussed, several are caucus leaders and appropriators with major influence in upcoming budget reconciliation and government funding negotiations,” Politico reports. “Trump also discussed the wildfires Saturday night with a group of House Republicans from California, New York and New Jersey.”
According to J.D. Wolf of MeidasTouch News, the California GOP members of Congress “chose to leave the state at its most vulnerable moment,” and “have drawn criticism for abandoning their … state during the crisis, opting instead to join Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.”
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“California [GOP] Representatives Jay Obernolte, Tom McClintock, Kevin Kiley, Doug LaMalfa, Darrell Issa, Ken Calvert, Vince Fong, and Young Kim were spotted in a photo with Trump this weekend when they could have been back home seeking ways to help even if the fire isn’t in their district,” he declared. “Instead, these lawmakers have prioritized meeting with Trump over exercising leadership in their home state. Their absence sends a troubling message to their state.”
In a stern rebuke, Wolf added: “In doing so, they have not only abandoned their duty to Californians but also cast doubt on their priorities and dedication as elected officials.” He also wrote: “Californians are left wondering if these leaders will ever prioritize their needs over political maneuvering.”
One House Republican from California was “not invited,” according to Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill.
“But all the talk of unity at Mar-a-Lago this weekend only went so far – Trump did not invite David Valadao (R-Calif.), 1 of the 10 House Rs who voted to impeach after Jan. 6, to the mtg of CA, NY and NJ GOP members.”
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Valadao’s presence would have made sense. Hill reports he is a caucus chief and senior appropriator.
Trump, who has a history of trying to withhold relief aid to California, has been accused of politicizing the tragedy, which Politico notes, “could become the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history.”
It may become even more costly.
The Associated Press reports, “firefighters are preparing for a return of dangerous winds that could again stoke the flames on Monday.”
Over the weekend, on his social media website, Trump reposted this:
View the social media post above or at this link.
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Image via Reuters
House Republicans are circulating a “menu” of options that Speaker Mike Johnson’s conference could chose from—reportedly a massive $5 trillion worth of federal government programs to put on the chopping block to pay for the President-elect’s promised priorities, including tax cuts and border security.
According to Politico, there is an “early list” of proposed cuts (below) that “includes changes to Medicare and ending Biden administration climate programs, along with slashing welfare and ‘reimagining’ the Affordable Care Act.” Also, in addition to suggesting cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), “the document floats clawing back bipartisan infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Act funding.”
Politico also reports that Republicans appear to be considering cuts to “the country’s largest anti-hunger program”—or, SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps. This would “spark massive opposition from Democrats and would also face some GOP resistance.”
There is far more, including siphoning about $2.3 trillion from Medicaid, a federal government program that has been providing critical health insurance for low-income adults and children for six decades.
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The early list, published by Politico, has positive-sounding categories like “Making Medicaid Work for the Most Vulnerable,” but within that are proposals like “Medicaid Work Requirements.”
Republicans have for years been trying to institute work requirements for Medicaid recipients, despite the fact that about two-thirds of recipients who are able to work are already employed.
“An analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that a national Medicaid work requirement would result in 2.2 million adults losing Medicaid coverage per year (and subsequently experiencing increases in medical expenses), and lead to only a very small increase in employment,” KFF (formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation) reported in 2023.
The list also proposes “Ending Cradle-to-Grave Dependence,” which, among other items, suggests “Reduce TANF by 10 Percent.”
According to the federal government, “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federally funded, state-run program. Also known as welfare, TANF helps families pay for” items including food, housing, home energy, and child care.
Republicans also suggest they can save $152 billion in the section titled, “Reimagining the Affordable Care Act.”
Politico got a hold of a leaked list of GOP plans to cut federal spending on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act
www.politico.com/news/2025/01…— Cynthia Cox (@cynthiaccox.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Politico adds that Republicans are “also eyeing repealing significant Biden administration health care rules, which could include ending a rule requiring minimum staffing levels at nursing homes.” It is unclear how that would provide cost savings to the federal government.
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They also suggest they can pull $468 billion in savings by putting President Joe Biden’s climate policies “on the chopping block.”
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill on social media noted: “Huge cuts to SNAP – the country’s largest anti-hunger program – proposed in here…would quickly hit +40 million low-income Americans…it’s already triggering immense backlash among some GOP centrists + even more conservative Rs.”
“Speaker Johnson can’t afford any GOP defections,” she added.
Vanity Fair’s Molly Jong-Fast characterized the proposals as “Taking food stamps away from hungry children to pay for tax cuts for wealthy people.
Salaam Bhatti, the director of the Food Research and Action Center, remarked: “Cutting & gutting SNAP and kicking millions of poor people off the program at a time when people voted because they can’t afford to put food on the table is the most out of touch thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Trump voters in red states who rely on those programs are going to love this,” quipped Alex Gonzalez, a political analyst and editor-in-chief for Latino Public Policy Foundation. “Trump wants to cut $5.6 trillion from federal programs to fund $10 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. Ironically, red states depend more on these programs than blue states.”
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Image via Reuters
President-elect Donald Trump, set to move back to Washington in ten days after he is sworn in as the nation’s 47th President, is reportedly in talks to buy back his former D.C. hotel, a source of constitutional concern during his first term, where foreign governments and dignitaries could spend lavishly. Some legal experts warned of possible violations of the Emoluments Clause.
“Donald Trump’s real-estate company is in talks to reclaim its former Washington, D.C., hotel, a move that could offer an early test of how the president-elect will handle potential conflicts of interest,” The Wall Street Journal reports. “Eric Trump this week met at his family’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida with an executive from merchant bank BDT & MSD Partners, which controls the long-term lease on the hotel, according to people familiar with the matter.”
“An executive vice president at the company, Eric Trump discussed purchasing the lease, though the talks are still preliminary and may not lead to any sale, these people said,” The Journal added. “The Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., is now a Waldorf Astoria and operates in the Old Post Office building, which is owned by the federal government and was leased to the Trumps. Trump opened the hotel in 2016, but sold the lease rights in 2022 for $375 million.”
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Bloomberg News, also reporting on what it calls “early talks to reacquire its former Washington hotel,” notes that critics “said the mixing of business and political activities was a conflict of interest. The hotel was at the center of at least two lawsuits accusing the president of violating the emoluments clause of the US Constitution, which bars presidents from receiving gifts or payments from foreign governments.”
According to a report in The Independent, the Trump International Hotel Washington D.C. took in more than $3.7 million from foreign governments during Trump’s tenure as President. “This raises concerns about possible violations of the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause, which says that Congress should approve any gifts to officeholders from foreign governments.”
The U.S. Secret Service spent at least $1.4 million at his D.C. hotel as well, according to an ABC News report citing congressional documents.
“The Trump Organization on some occasions charged the Secret Service more than five times the government rate to stay at Donald Trump-owned properties while the agency was protecting him and his family,” ABC News also reported.
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Legal experts and a watchdog group are once again expressing concern.
“Instead of mitigating conflicts of interest ahead of his inauguration, looks like Trump is doubling down on corruption by trying to get the lease on the DC hotel back,” warned CREW, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
CQ Roll Call White House Correspondent and editor-at-large John T. Bennett responded to CREW by saying, “Not sure why anyone would expect him to, after all these years.”
New York Times’ business investigations reporter David Enrich notes: “The Trumps are looking to reclaim their DC hotel, which is down the street from the White House and was a magnet for conflicts of interest in his first administration.”
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Image via Reuters
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