Donald Trump‘s legal woes intensified as federal prosecutors notified the former President that he is the target of an investigation into his handling of classified documents found at the Mar-a-Lago estate.
What Happened: A person familiar with the matter told Politico that Trump received a letter from federal prosecutors that the ex-president is the target of an ongoing criminal investigation for his alleged mishandling of secretive documents.
The letter indicates that special counsel Jack Smith is nearing a decision regarding potential charges in his investigation against the former president. Trump is being investigated for concealing a significant amount of classified documents at his residence and allegedly orchestrating a plan to hinder federal authorities from discovering them after he departed from the White House.
According to the Justice Department manual, prosecutors can send a “target letter” to individuals expected to face charges related to a grand jury investigation. This letter allows them to provide testimony before an indictment is issued. A target is considered a person against whom "substantial evidence linking him or her to the commission of a crime and who, in the judgment of the prosecutor, is a putative defendant."
See Also: Trump’s Lawyer’s Visit Justice Dept. — Ex-President Asks ‘How Can DOJ Possibly Charge Me…’
Meanwhile, federal prosecutors also got a separate Florida grand jury involved in classified documents investigation. The involvement of a grand jury in Florida suggests that prosecutors may be considering potential charges within that state.
Despite contrary evidence, Trump maintains his innocence, asserting that he possessed the authority to retain the documents at his residence as he had declassified them before leaving the White House.
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