CNN had an interesting discussion involving senior legal analyst Elie Honig concerning whether Jack Smith was acting based on the election schedule. Honig believed that he was.
But Honig didn’t leave it there.
“The motivating principle behind every procedural request he’s [Smith] made has been speed, has been getting this trial in before the election,” Honig said. He noted how the trial date that Smith asked for — “five months out” — was fast compared to Jan. 6 trial requests. “Donald Trump is being given far less time to prepare,” he said.
Then Honig noted the DOJ policy that you’re not supposed to do anything that might impact the election.
First of all, if Jack Smith is trying to get this case tried before the election, and he clearly is, that is political. The counter argument would be, ‘Well, Jack Smith just wants the American voters to have resolution before they go to the ballot box.’ And I understand that. As a voter, I would like to know.
“But here’s the problem with that argument. Jack Smith doesn’t just want to get this trial done and let the chips fall where they may and let the consequences be what they can be. He’s the prosecutor. He believes this case. He wants this case to result in conviction. And so his position isn’t just, well, I want this case tried before the election. His position really is I want Donald Trump convicted before the election. I have no problem with the first part of that. It’s his job to want and try to convict Donald Trump, now that he’s indicted. But the second part of that, before the election, that’s where its crosses the line to the political, in my view.”
Good for Honig for being honest here.
This should concern everyone, as this screams bias, and as Honig notes, you’re not supposed to be “crossing that line” into the political. This is scary stuff when this is leveled at the leading GOP candidate for president.
Let’s recall what happened with the DOJ when they allegedly wouldn’t even investigate the Hunter Biden laptop because it might somehow impact the election. Of course, by not pursuing things, they impacted the election. What a contrast to the prosecution and the speed being applied to Trump. This seems all the more poignant since Trump is in the lead according to polls and may well win — if lawfare doesn’t derail him. The Democrats are so concerned about dangers to democracy that they want to take out their chief political opponent. Somehow, it doesn’t sound like it’s about “dangers to democracy” as much as it is about power.