The Justice Department will press on with its two criminal cases against Donald Trump past the election even if the Republican wins in November.
Lawyers in the DOJ believe a department policy against criminally charging a sitting president doesn’t prohibit them from pursuing cases against a president-elect, according to The Washington Post. That would mean special counsel Jack Smith would have until Trump’s hypothetical inauguration on Jan. 20 to keep the proceedings rolling.
A source familiar with Smith’s thinking separately said Smith believes Justice Department regulations mean his mandate as special counsel and his authority to pursue the cases will continue until he’s formally removed from his post, according to The New York Times.
