image courtesy Wikki Commons @2023
Last Updated on: 18th June 2024, 09:30 am
Last November, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith to take over the investigation into former President Donald Trump, thrusting him into the political spotlight.
But who is Jack Smith?
Here are some facts about the Special Counsel that may surprise you:
1. His Name is John Luman Smith
Born on June 5, 1969, in Clay, N.Y., John Luman Smith grew up in a suburb of Syracuse. After graduating from the State University of New York at Oneonta in 1991, he pursued further education at Harvard Law School, according to The New York Times.
Following his education, Mr. Smith began his career as a prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s office shortly after graduation. He later transitioned to a similar role at the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn. Over the course of the next decade, he climbed the ranks, holding various supervisory positions, including chief of criminal litigation. In these roles, he oversaw multiple prosecutors handling cases related to gangs, violent crime, financial fraud, and public corruption.
2. His Wife Made a Film About Michelle Obama
According to Newsweek, Jack Smith is married to Katy Chevigny, a documentary filmmaker who contributed to President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign.
Chevigny served as a producer for the Netflix original documentary “Becoming,” which focused on former first lady Michelle Obama.
3. He Has Been Accused Of Being Overzealous in His Prosecution of Politicians
Jack Smith has handled some high-profile corruption cases during his career.
He secured a conviction against Robert McDonnell, the former Republican governor of Virginia. However, this conviction was later overturned by the Supreme Court.
In its ruling, The High Court rebuked Smith, warning that “the uncontrolled power of criminal prosecutors is a threat to our separation of powers.”
Another notable case involved the conviction of former Representative Rick Renzi, a Republican from Arizona.
Renzi said that he had been “wrongly convicted by a Department of Justice that engaged in witness tampering, illegal wiretapping, and gross prosecutorial misconduct.”
President Trump later issued a pardon for Renzi during his final hours in office.
Smith also prosecuted Democrat Bob Menendez on public corruption charges, but the case ended in a mistrial.
4. Trump Called Him a “Deranged Lunatic”
Hours after his indictment, Trump let loose on Smith, calling him a “deranged lunatic,” a “thug,” and a “raging and uncontrolled Trump hater.”
During an exclusive town hall hosted by Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump slammed Smith, calling him a “deranged prosecutor” and a “nasty, horrible human being,” and said the Department of Justice has been “totally weaponized.”
5. His Aide Met With The White House Shortly Before It Brought Charges Against Trump
The New York Post revealed that a top aide to Special Counsel Jack Smith met with the White House counsel’s office just weeks before charges were brought against former President Trump for alleged mishandling of classified documents.
Jay Bratt, part of the special counsel team, met with Caroline Saba from the White House counsel’s office on March 31, 2023, along with FBI agent Danielle Ray.
Trump was indicted by Smith’s office on June 8, 2023. A previous meeting between Bratt and Saba took place in November 2021 during negotiations over presidential records at Mar-a-Lago. These meetings have raised concerns about coordinated legal efforts involving President Biden’s likely opponent in the 2024 election.
Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsel, said Bratt was at the White House for a “case-related interview” but declined to comment further, according to The New York Post.
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