The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Special Counsel Jack Smith are considering dropping charges against President-elect Donald Trump.
A DOJ policy prevents the department from prosecuting a sitting president, a 2000 memo from the Office of Legal Counsel indicates. The document asserts that it is a “violation of the separation of powers doctrine for the Justice Department to investigate a sitting president,” Fox News reported. To do so would be an interference in the “conduct of the Presidency.”
“In light of the effect that an indictment would have on the operations of the executive branch, ‘an impeachment proceeding is the only appropriate way to deal with a President while in office,’” the memo said.
Fox News further reported that Smith may be out as special counsel before Trump takes the oath of office on January 20.
Trump previously told radio host Hugh Hewitt that he would “fire” Smith should he win the presidency.
“I would fire him within two seconds,” Trump told Hewitt. He added that Smith is a “scoundrel” and a “dishonest man.”
“He’s a mean man, but his problem is, he’s so mean that he always goes too far like the raid of Mar-A-Lago,” Trump said.
