Attorneys representing former President Donald Trump have responded to special counsel Jack Smith’s recent request to modify Trump’s conditions of release in the investigation into his handling of classified documents.
Federal prosecutors have requested U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the documents case, to revise the terms of Trump’s release. The aim is to prevent him from making public statements that could potentially endanger law enforcement agents who are involved in the prosecution.
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According to prosecutors, Trump’s continuous distortion of these facts in widely disseminated messages puts the lives of law enforcement officers, as well as his own family and Secret Service agents, at risk. This reckless behavior not only endangers those involved in the investigation and prosecution of the case, but also undermines the credibility and fairness of the proceedings. This statement was made by prosecutors to Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by Trump.
According to them, a restriction that prohibits making similar statements in the future does not limit the freedom of speech.
The special counsel acted in response to a false claim made by Trump last week. Trump falsely stated that the FBI agents who searched his Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022 were “authorized to shoot me” and were “locked & loaded ready to take me out & put my family in danger.” This prompted the special counsel to make a request to Cannon.
According to Trump, the FBI adhered to a standard use-of-force policy during the search, which prohibits the use of deadly force unless the officer conducting the search reasonably believes that the subject poses an immediate threat of death or serious physical harm to the officer or another individual.
The prosecutors from special counsel Jack Smith’s team argue in a recent court filing that President Trump’s remarks, where he falsely claimed that federal agents were involved in a plot to assassinate him, could potentially put law enforcement officers at risk of threats, violence, and harassment. It is worth noting that some of these officers are expected to testify during Trump’s trial.
According to critics, Smith’s request in the cases against the former president goes beyond any previous demands made by other prosecutors. They argue that the prosecution’s motion links Trump’s freedom to his campaign speech, a move that sets a new precedent.
Trump also requested that Cannon take action against the legal team of the Justice Department, accusing them of violating the local rules.
Attorney General Merrick Garland recently criticized Trump’s assertion, describing it as “extremely dangerous.” Garland emphasized that the document in question is a routine policy that restricts the use of force, which was even applied during the consensual search of President Joe Biden’s residence as part of an investigation into the handling of classified documents by the Democratic Party.
Trump is currently facing numerous felony charges, which allege that he illegally stored classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, after leaving the White House in 2021. Additionally, he is accused of obstructing the FBI’s attempts to recover these documents. Despite the charges, Trump maintains his innocence and denies any wrongdoing.
Trump is facing four criminal cases as he campaigns for the White House, but only the ongoing New York hush money prosecution is likely to go to trial before the election.
