George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said on Wednesday that special counsel Jack Smith has “stretched the law” by handing over a superseding indictment against former President Donald Trump. The indictment, filed on Tuesday night, includes the same four charges as Smith’s initial indictment handed down on August 1, 2023, in relation to Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 election. Turley said on Fox News’ “America Reports” that Smith has “always played right up the margin” in his past legal cases, even causing his case against former Republican Virginia Gov.
Bob McDonnell to be vacated by the Supreme Court. “This is vintage Jack Smith. He has always played right up to the margin in cases, and at times he has crossed over.
He was reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court on probably his previous most famous case because he stretched the law, and that has been a signature of his, and I think he’s still doing it,” Turley said.
Smith prosecuted McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, for allegedly violating federal bribery law by accepting luxury gifts from a businessman in exchange for promoting his dietary supplement. The Supreme Court overruled McDonnell’s conviction in a on September 8, 2016, ruling McDonnell’s actions were distasteful, but not a federal law violation. Turley said Smith simply tweaked the original indictment without any major changes in order to remove parts that are considered “official acts” taken by the now-form.