How the Justice Department might respond to a Trump 2024 bid
Ever wondered how the Department of Justice might respond to another White House bid from Donald Trump?
Well, with the former president's presumed 2024 announcement just around the corner (sources say his team is looking at Nov. 14, specifically), DOJ officials are said to be mulling whether Trump's candidacy might necessitate a special counsel "to oversee two sprawling federal investigations" related to him, CNN reports.
Though officials are keeping things lowkey prior to the midterm elections, investigators "have remained busy" behind the scenes, looking into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as his alleged mishandling of confidential security documents that were kept at his Mar-a-Lago mansion, CNN writes. The department hopes to decide whether to indict the former president before the 2024 race heats up, per The New York Times, and Attorney General Merrick Garland will make the final call.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In particular, appointing a special counsel might provide the department a degree of insulation from partisan rhetoric on the matter, considering the counsel would be separate from the DOJ's "normal chain of command," the Times writes. Garland could also perhaps choose a Republican lawyer to lead the effort, thereby appeasing GOP critics (at least to some degree). Still, special counsels are "hardly immune from political attacks," CNN notes.
We'll see what happens post-midterms. As one defense lawyer connected to Jan. 6 matters told CNN: "They can crank up charges on almost anybody if they wanted to."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad bets
In The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump gets $289M break, first criminal trial date
Speed Read The former president's fraud bond has been reduced to $175 million from $464 million
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US-Israel rift widens after UN cease-fire resolution
Speed Read The U.S. declined to veto a U.N. resolution calling for a two-week "immediate cease-fire" in Gaza
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New Jersey first lady exits race to replace Menendez
Speed Read Tammy Murphy dropping out paves the way for Rep. Andy Kim to become the state's next senator
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia blames Ukraine for deadly ISIS Moscow attack
Speed Read Putin has ignored the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the concert hall shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'A "conservative voice" does not spread misinformation for political advantage'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Barack Obama 'behind Starmer transformation'
Under The Radar The former US president urged Labour leader to 'talk more openly'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Trump-RNC pact puts Trump legal bills ahead of GOP
Speed Read The former president has struck a deal with the Republican National Committee to put donations toward his legal bills
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published