A newly unsealed 165-page filing from special counsel Jack Smith has introduced significant new evidence in the federal election interference case against former President Donald Trump, court records reveal. The document outlines Smith’s argument against Trump’s claim of presidential immunity, a central issue in the case, following the Supreme Court’s ruling that provided Trump partial immunity for official acts.
The filing begins with a clear rejection of Trump’s defense: “The defendant asserts that he is immune from prosecution for his criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election because, he claims, it entailed official conduct,” the document states. “Not so.”
Judge Tanya Chutkan unsealed the document on Wednesday, despite strong objections from Trump’s legal team. His lawyers argued that the special counsel’s actions were an attempt to unfairly sway the 2024 presidential election by making sensitive legal filings public. However, Smith defended the release, stating that adequate redactions were made to protect confidential materials and that public interest in the case justified the filing’s disclosure.
Smith emphasized that this case involves a man who could potentially become president again within months, making transparency essential. The special counsel’s detailed filing outlines Trump’s actions surrounding the 2020 election, including efforts to overturn the results after losing to President Joe Biden.
Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to overturn the election, continues to argue that his efforts were part of his official duties as president, granting him immunity from prosecution. However, Smith’s filing directly challenges this assertion, aiming to prove that Trump’s actions were part of a private scheme, not protected by presidential immunity.
As the 2024 election approaches, Trump’s legal battles have become a central topic in the campaign. Smith’s new evidence could play a significant role in shaping the future of the case and Trump’s political career.
This filing represents a critical moment in the federal election interference case, as the special counsel pushes forward with arguments that Trump’s conduct goes beyond the protections of his former office, and the nation watches closely as the legal fight unfolds.