Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday afternoon defended the Justice Department’s classified documents investigation of former president Donald Trump, who has been calling Jack Smith, the special counsel in charge of the probe, a “thug” and a “lunatic.”
In his first public comments since Trump was indicted last week, Garland would not answer specific questions about the investigation but said that he had faith in the “integrity” of the probe and would let the indictment and future court filings speak for the Justice Department.
“Mr. Smith is a veteran, career prosecutor. He has assembled a group of talented prosecutors and agents who share his commitment to integrity and the rule of law,” Garland said at an event at Justice Department headquarters focused on reducing violent crime. “Any questions about this matter will have to be answered by their filings in court.”
Trump faces 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information, along with three counts of withholding or concealing documents in a federal investigation, false statements, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Each willful retention count represents a different classified document the former president allegedly withheld – 21 that was discovered when the FBI searched his Florida home and private club in August 2022, and 10 that were turned over to the FBI in a sealed envelope two months earlier.
He pleaded not guilty in a federal court in Miami on Tuesday.
Garland appointed Smith in November to handle the day-to-day operations of the investigation three days after Trump formally announced his 2024 presidential run.
A special counsel is intended to give an investigation a degree of independence from the main operations of the Justice Department, though Garland still holds the ultimate authority on what to do about the evidence the special counsel collects.
“My role has been completely consistent with the regulations that set forth responsibilities to the attorney general under the special counsel regulations,” Garland said. “and I followed those special counsel regulations.”
Garland, who did not mention Trump in his brief responses to reporter questions, said that the Justice Department would be monitoring any threats that emerge as a result of the investigation and indictment.
“All I can say is that we live in a democracy,” Garland said. “These kinds of matters are adjudicated through the judicial system. The justice department will be vigilant to ensure that there are no threats to violence or actual violence.”
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