The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals granted Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request to drop the case against President-elect Donald Trump involving classified documents found in Florida. While the case is dismissed for Trump, his two co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, still face charges.
Smith argued that the prosecution of a sitting president is prohibited by Justice Department guidelines, and with Trump’s upcoming inauguration, the case was no longer viable. He also moved to dismiss Trump’s election meddling case without prejudice.
The case, which involved charges under the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice for Trump’s refusal to return classified materials, had been considered one of the stronger cases. Liberals had hoped Smith’s appeal would overturn a controversial ruling by Judge Aileen Cannon, who had dismissed the case based on claims that Smith was illegally appointed.