Back to the news now. Former special counsel Jack Smith has told a congressional committee his team found proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in quote a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election. That's according to parts of his opening statement obtained by NBC News. Smith testified for eight hours before the House Judiciary Committee yesterday during a closed door deposition. What's more, Smith said his team turned up quote powerful evidence that showed Trump wi ...

Investigation & Testimony - Jack Smith's testimony behind closed doors focused on toll data requested from Republican senators regarding interactions with the White House around January 6, 2021 [2] - Democratic members felt confident Smith was handling himself well, noting a disparity between his capacity to answer questions and Republican staff members' capacity to ask them [4] - Jack Smith wanted the deposition to be public, but Jim Jordan had concerns about giving Smith a platform against President Trump [5][6] Political Implications - Republicans are accused of projecting Jack Smith as a political animal while simultaneously preventing him from publicly presenting his investigation's findings [7] - A closed session for Jack Smith raises concerns that his statements will be cherry-picked and used to rewrite history [11][12] - Republicans question whether the special counsel had probable cause for the search warrant at Mara Lago [16] - Republicans may face challenges in demonstrating a lack of probable cause due to restrictions on Smith's ability to disclose evidence [17] Evidence & Disagreements - Evidence against Donald Trump includes video surveillance and text messages related to moving classified records [12][13] - Internal disagreement existed within the Justice Department and FBI regarding the propriety of executing the search warrant on Mara Lago [20] - FBI officials agreed on probable cause after obtaining surveillance tape from Mara Lago, a fact Republicans allegedly omitted [23][24] - A judge signed off on probable cause on August 5th, and the FBI raid on August 8th resulted in the collection of hundreds of pages of top-secret records [25] Future Implications - If Democrats regain control, Jack Smith is likely to testify publicly [26] - The current investigation could open the door for Democrats to investigate Republican figures in the future [27]

In a closed-door hearing, former special counsel Jack Smith defended his decision to charge resident Donald Trump in classified documents and 2020 election caseshttps://t.co/4PFpXlsDrr ...

In a closed-door hearing, former special counsel Jack Smith defended his decision to charge resident Donald Trump in classified documents and 2020 election caseshttps://t.co/tmAEIj3UQB ...

Legal & Political Analysis - John Bolton's indictment for mishandling classified documents is viewed by some as politically motivated retribution by Donald Trump [1][2] - The case against Bolton is considered more legally sound than cases against James Comey and Leticia James [5] - The practice of high-ranking officials using diaries to write memoirs raises questions about the selective prosecution of Bolton [6][9] - Overclassification in Washington gives a vengeful actor like President Trump enormous scope to pick and choose who to take revenge on [12] Pattern of Retribution - There is a perceived pattern of Donald Trump targeting those who have crossed him publicly [8] - John Bolton, a Republican, is not immune to this pattern [8] Document Handling & Classification - The FBI scrutinized John Bolton's documents extensively [12] - The issue of overclassification in Washington D C is highlighted [12]

A senior Justice Department official tells me uh just moments ago that the former national security adviser to Donald Trump during his first term, John Bolton, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the state of Maryland. Court documents made public last month revealed that Bolton was under criminal investigation for alleged mishandling of classified documents. And significantly, this marks now the third individual that the president has described as a political adversary who has now been indicted by ...

Legal & Political Analysis - The FBI search of John Bolton's home and office raises concerns about potential political retribution, requiring scrutiny of the case agent's leanings and the magistrate judge who approved the warrant [2][4][5] - The search warrant requires probable cause of criminal activity and evidence at the searched locations, protecting against unreasonable search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment [2][3] - The investigation's focus is likely on the retention or leaking of classified information, requiring proof of Bolton's intent to knowingly and willfully commit a crime [17][19][20] - The release of the search warrant details and the search returns (listing items seized) will be crucial for understanding the justification and scope of the search [7][8][9] Key Individuals & Relationships - The relationship between John Bolton and Donald Trump deteriorated after Bolton's tenure as National Security Advisor (approximately 18 months from 2018 to 2019), leading to his termination and revocation of security clearance [11][12] - Bolton's past comments criticizing Trump regarding classified documents are being highlighted amidst the current investigation [15] Procedural Aspects - A "sensitive investigative measure" (SIM) likely required approval by the Attorney General for the search [4] - Standard procedure in high-profile cases involves discreet contact with the individual's counsel before a search, contrasting with the spectacle of a raid [5]

Legal & Security - FBI agents searched John Bolton's home regarding classified documents [1] - The investigation concerns classified documents [1]