The investigation will look at the entirety of the criminal probe into the unlawful retention of national defense information at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has named Friday a special counsel to investigate the entirety of the criminal probe into the unlawful retention of national defense information at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, Fox News has learned.
Garland appointed former Justice Department official Jack Smith to the role. Smith, a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief to the DOJ's public integrity section, will oversee the investigation into Trump's retention of classified documents after leaving the White House and whether the former president obstructed the federal government's investigation into the matter.
Smith is also tasked with overseeing the investigation into whether Trump or other officials and entities interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021.
"It is in the public interest to appoint a special prosecutor to independently manage an investigation and prosecution based on recent developments, including [Trump's] announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election and the sitting president's stated intention to be a candidate as well," said Garland.
| 
