On Tuesday night, former President Donald Trump officially announced his 2024 Presidential bid, and a few days later, a special prosecutor was appointed to investigate him.
During his announcement speech, Trump derided the January 6th investigation into him and former members of the Trump administration and the ongoing investigation into documents that the President stored as his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Just three days after declaring his intent to run for President, Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Friday that he is appointing a Special Counsel to investigate January 6th and President Trump’s records at Mar-a-Lago.
Garland cited “recent developments, including the former president’s announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election.”
BREAKING: AG Merrick Garland appoints special counsel in DOJ's Trump Mar-a-Lago investigation, citing "recent developments, including the former president's announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election."
READ MORE: https://t.co/uZJkuUhT8k pic.twitter.com/SJKghWv94E
— ABC News (@ABC) November 18, 2022
Smith is a career prosecutor at the Department of Justice and is notable for being the chief prosecutor for the special court in The Hague, where he investigated war crimes in Kosovo.
New Special Counsel Jack Smith: pic.twitter.com/z5WN3XXlfl
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) November 18, 2022
Garland cited the need to protect the Justice Department’s image so that people would not believe the investigation was politically biased.
Still, Smith will report to Garland, who will make the ultimate decision on whether to bring charges against the former President.
A spokesperson for Trump responded to the announcement on NBC News. “This is a totally expected political stunt by a feckless, politicized, weaponized Biden Department of Justice,” They said
Garland already faced accusations of political bias earlier this week after prosecutors stated that they do not believe Trump had any “discernible business interest” in keeping documents at Mar-a-Lago. Some questioned the timing of the report, asking why prosecutors waited to clarify Trump’s motives until after the midterms.
BREAKING: The FBI has now leaked, one week after a pivotal election, to the Washington Post that the Regime’s raid on Mar-a-Lago was basically a political-op:
“Agents and prosecutors found no discernible business interest in the Mar-a-Lago documents”https://t.co/Xt3Xh8Br8Q
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 17, 2022
Conservatives quickly took to Twitter to call Garland’s decision politically motivated, with some lamenting the numerous investigations against Trump that have not resulted in criminal charges or evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
A new special counsel appointed to make decisions for two Department of Justice investigations of Trump. Why not 5 or 10 or 20? Maybe Trump has an unpaid parking ticket? Or how about a speeding ticket from 1990? You don’t have to support Trump to know this is complete bullshit.
— Nick Short (@PoliticalShort) November 18, 2022
Another user thanked Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. for keeping Garland off the Supreme Court.
Mitch McConnell isn't my favorite but remember if not for him…Merrick Garland would be on the Supreme Court.
— Mary@peachstate (@Marylou14099916) November 18, 2022
Some liberal Twitter users seemed frustrated with Garland’s decision to appoint a Special Counsel, believing it would slow down Trump’s criminal prosecution.
Look I don’t give a shit who indicts Trump, Merrick Garland, a special prosecutor, or Mickey Mouse, as long as he’s f*cking indicted.
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) November 18, 2022
Tom Fitton, the President of Judicial Watch, a top conservative legal watchdog group, said that it was hypocritical for Garland to appoint a special counsel to ‘harass’ Trump while refusing to appoint a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden’s influence-peddling schemes.
So Garland will appoint yet another special counsel to harass Trump while refusing to appoint a special counsel on Hunter/Joe Biden criminal investigation. This unequal application of the law is corrupt. https://t.co/DhNOMvk6fH
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) November 18, 2022
The newly elected Republican majority in the House of Representatives promised to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden’s alleged influence-peddling schemes.
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Representative James Comer, R-Ky. who is expected to be on the House Oversight and Judiciary committee, said that the President’s use of his office to enrich his family is “abuse of the highest order.”
The Biden family's international business schemes that promised access or wealth in a future Biden Administration constitute fraud.
And the President’s participation in enriching his family is abuse of the highest order.@GOPoversight will hold @POTUS accountable. @SeanHannity pic.twitter.com/E1QBxsyLcU
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) November 18, 2022
Other stories you may want to read:
Rubio: Still Waiting for Justice Department Information on Mar-a-Lago Search
Fake Document Appears in Trump Mar-a-Lago Case
