(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Special Counsel Jack Smith found himself under intense scrutiny as U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon pressed him on his ties to Attorney General Merrick Garland, triggering evasive responses from Smith’s team.
During a Friday hearing, Cannon posed pointed questions about Garland’s influence in the Justice Department’s aggressive stance against Trump and his supporters, according to Politico.
The inquiries reportedly caught Smith’s prosecutors off guard, with James Pearce, Smith’s deputy, claiming he was “not authorized” to provide detailed answers.
Tellingly, Pearce claimed, “I don’t want to make it seem like I’m hiding something.”
Cannon’s interrogation followed a lengthy five-hour session centered on Trump’s efforts to dismiss charges against him, Politico reported.
Critics, including Trump and legal experts, argue that Smith’s appointment as special counsel is unconstitutional, asserting that only Senate-confirmed former officials can hold such roles.
Smith previously served as acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee in 2017, assuming the position after U.S. Attorney David Rivera’s resignation.
His acting position did not require Senate confirmation, leading legal scholars to question his authority to prosecute Trump.
Cannon’s probing into Smith’s ties with Garland coincides with growing criticism against the Biden administration is using the Justice Department to target political opponents.
Unlike her counterparts overseeing similar cases, Cannon has been vocal in challenging Smith’s legal maneuvers, questioning the justification behind some of his stringent filings.
