Trump's lawyers told he is target of classified documents investigation

Source: The Guardian

Federal prosecutors formally informed Donald Trump's lawyers last week that the former US president is a target of the criminal investigation examining his retention of national security materials at his Mar-a-Lago resort and obstruction of justice, according to two people briefed on the matter.

The move dramatically raises the stakes for Trump as the investigation appears to near its conclusion after taking evidence before a grand jury in Washington and a previously unknown grand jury in Florida that was impaneled last month.

Trump's lawyers were notified before they met on Monday with the special counsel Jack Smith leading the Mar-a-Lago documents case and the senior career official in the deputy attorney general's office and made the case that prosecutors should not indict the former president in the matter.

Trump has reportedly said he had not been personally informed by the justice department that he was a target when asked directly by a New York Times reporter, but demurred when asked whether his legal team had been told about the designation.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/07/trump-mar-a-lago-classified-documents-investigation

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The Guardian's piece above also claims that prosecutors "decided that any indictments should be charged in the southern district of Florida" which contradicts today's report from another British outlet, The Independent, that charges are expected in DC.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-indictment-espionage-prosecution-charges-b2353397.html

The Department of Justice is preparing to ask a Washington, DC grand jury to indict former president Donald Trump for violating the Espionage Act and for obstruction of justice as soon as Thursday, adding further weight to the legal baggage facing Mr Trump as he campaigns for his party's nomination in next year's presidential election.

The Independent has learned that prosecutors are ready to ask grand jurors to approve an indictment against Mr Trump for violating a portion of the US criminal code known as Section 793, which prohibits "gathering, transmitting or losing" any "information respecting the national defence".


The WA Post reports today that the charges may be brought in both the DC and Florida courts.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/06/miami-grand-jury-trump-classified-documents/

Justice Department prosecutors are planning to bring a significant portion of any charges stemming from the possible mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, the home of former president Donald Trump, at a nearby federal court in South Florida, according to people familiar with the matter.

SNIP

That approach by prosecutors does not rule out the possibility of some charges, such as perjury or false statements, being filed in Washington in connection with grand jury appearances or law enforcement interviews that took place there, according to these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the internal discussions.