Jack Smith Loses Again

On Wednesday, the Justice Department dropped all criminal charges against Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, two key figures in the case involving President Donald Trump and the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. This marks a significant victory for Trump’s associates, as the dismissal clears them of any potential legal consequences tied to their involvement in the case.

Nauta, Trump’s personal valet, and De Oliveira, the property manager at Mar-a-Lago, had been accused of conspiring with Trump to obstruct a federal investigation into the possession of classified materials after the President left office. Special Counsel Jack Smith had originally filed charges, alleging that the two men helped Trump hide documents from federal authorities.

However, in a key legal move this past July, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that Smith’s appointment as special counsel was improper, throwing a wrench in the case. Shortly thereafter, Smith’s team was forced to halt its prosecution of Trump, citing the longstanding DOJ policy that a sitting president cannot face criminal charges.

The case against Nauta and De Oliveira, however, remained in limbo with an ongoing appeal. On Wednesday, federal prosecutors informed the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that they were voluntarily withdrawing the appeal, effectively closing the door on any further legal action against the two men. The Justice Department’s filing noted that Nauta and De Oliveira did not object to the dismissal of the case.

This development represents a major blow to the legal efforts aimed at taking down Trump and his inner circle. It also raises questions about the transparency of the investigation, as the Trump administration Justice Department is unlikely to release Special Counsel Smith’s report on the classified documents. Given the circumstances, it seems clear that this case is rapidly losing momentum, with no further action expected in the foreseeable future.