(08-29-2023 07:34 PM)tanqtonic Wrote: (08-29-2023 12:15 PM)Hambone10 Wrote: Serious question... What rules are different if he is an announced, vs just a presumed candidate? How would his announcement change the timing of the 'political season' such that more delay was somehow going to be less intrusive?
Smith is known as a quick moving prosecutor. The appointment of Smith didnt change the 'political season' timing. He changed the pace of the investigation. In two ways.
What it did do is change the slow pace into a quick one. And it vested Smith *solely* with the responsibility.
The special prosecutor was only an option once Trump announced, creating the potential issue. Trump's announcement literally forced the appointment of Smith.
That probably shaved a huge amount of time off the prosecution schedule.
While you may think you've answered my question, you didn't at all.
Let me say it differently in context of your comments here...
We are currently almost IN 'primary season'... which you said they want to try and avoid... If Trump waits to announce until say 6 months ago, then we're already IN primary season before they can do anything... which means we're past the election before any outcome is determined. It creates the potential for the very Constitutional questions that we are saying they want to avoid If they really wanted to avoid such questions, they should have started immediately.
If the case is cleared before the primaries or if the case doesn't take place until afterwards, you have much less of an issue. That takes the issue of Trump's timing out of the equation. That seems to me to be the gist of the article...again, supported by liberal media. The DOJ was entirely in charge of that... Trump's issues best I can see (because you didn't mention any actual differences regarding his announcement) remain the same either way.
Quote:Jack Smith was appointed special counsel 3 days AFTER Trump announced he was a candidate, and it took him another 18 months to actually move forward.
He moved forward from day one. He made very liberal use of his investigative powers. And your facts are just dead incorrect.
Jack Smith was appointed November 18, 2022.
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You're right.. I misread a date.. but my issue if you read the context was 'forgiving' smith and although I didn't say it trying to be brief, it seems obvious that this would be because he can't do anything until he is appointed and once he is appointed, it takes SOME time to do things... but with the DOJ of which he is at least technically 'a part', whom according to the article, sat on this for a year.
The issue is (per the article) that we're 2.5 years into this and charges have only recently been filed.... despite Smith's expediency. I had originally typed (and may have left in) that he can't do anything until he is told to... so I didn't put much if any blame on him...
** ETA, the issue is the 2.5 total years.... and that is at the feet of the DOJ, and Jack Smith is just a part of it. He may well be the fastest part of it, but it is still 2.5 years.
Smith really has no CHOICE but to move as quickly as you suggest, unless he wants to be smack dab in the middle of the 2024 election.... or wait until AFTER the election... which is hugely problematic unless we are assured that he won't win.
Quote:Quote:While I can understand 'forgiving' Smith and even a case can be made for the DOJ to tread carefully given their history.... these are not right-wing news sources making these comments I quote here. This is PBS, interviewing a Washington Post reporter... and PBS's editor making that headline
And backs what I say when you read it. Trump announcing at a record early date forced the DOJ into a special counsel at that time. Smith ran quick, and threw out his indictments pretty quickly.
If Trump had announced at a normal time (typically Labor Day the year before, that Thanksgiving just a shade shy of two years before), when you add six months to Labor Day 2023, that puts having an indictment out in March 2024, that is smack in the period when the DOJ guidelines tell them they cant. When you add none months to Labor Day 2023, that brings you to June/July 2024 -- again in a period where the DOJ should back off because of elections.
Trump ****** himself by announcing early, and drawing a Special Prosecutor that tends to operate fast.
Why/How?
First, Why not appoint Smith in May of 2021, move just as fast and indict Trump in November 2021 (or even May 2022) and then have a trial (or at least be way down the line) by now so that voters in 2024 can make a VERY informed decision and potentially avoid any Constitutional question?
I truly don't see how his announcing himself as a candidate 'forced' the DOJ to do anything they wouldn't/shouldn't already be doing.
It seems you're suggesting that had he not announced when he did, that they would have continued the slow walk and thus make this an 'after the election' issue... but IMO, that just makes it more likely that its a huge cloud over the election with the possibility that the possible winner shortly thereafter gets convicted and can't serve his term. IDK, maybe Trump wanted to get this over with... if he's convicted, he's a martyr... and if he's acquitted, he's a shoe-in. IDK, but I don't see why/how the DOJ, given their desire to NOT impact the 2024 election is not rightly criticized for moving slowly up front and then somehow 'forced' to change simply because the leading candidate for the office from the right (by large margins in part because of so many candidates) announces formally what everyone suspected anyway.
