CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig publicly challenged former Special Counsel Jack Smith on Wednesday regarding the influence of the 2024 presidential election on the timing of his prosecutions against Donald Trump.
Smith recently dismissed the suggestion that the two indictments against Trump were politically motivated, characterizing the idea as “ludicrous.” However, Honig argued on “CNN News Central” that while Smith may not be overtly partisan, the evidence indicates he acted with the election timetable in mind, leading him to rush the cases.
“It’s undeniable that he was thinking about and acting with the 2024 election in mind in asking the judge to change ordinary rules and procedures,” Honig stated.
He contended that Smith, whom he described as a “heat-seeking missile,” pushed to expedite the trials “artificially quickly so he could get him tried before the 2024 election.” Honig suggested this rush to trial necessitates a closer look at Smith’s claim of having “no awareness” of the election’s impact.
Smith filed two major cases against Trump:
- Classified Documents: Filed in June 2023, the case involving the alleged unlawful retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago was later dismissed in July 2024 by Judge Aileen Cannon, who cited a violation of the Constitution’s appointments clause in the Special Counsel’s appointment.
- 2020 Election Interference: Filed in August 2023, this case charged Trump with several felonies, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. Smith initially requested a January 2, 2024 trial date—just before the Iowa Caucus—while the defense sought an April 2026 start. Judge Tanya Chutkan ultimately scheduled the trial for March 4, 2024, the day before Super Tuesday.
The election interference case was subsequently affected by the Supreme Court’s July 2024 ruling on presidential immunity for official acts.
Following the 2024 election, Smith dismissed the case in compliance with the long-standing DOJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
The timing and handling of these prosecutions have since drawn scrutiny, with the House Judiciary Committee recently calling on Smith to testify before Congress.
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