Former U.S. Attorney Faces Charges in Florida

A former U.S. attorney is being charged in Florida for allegedly stealing documents related to the Biden administration’s investigation into President Donald Trump’s handling of classified materials.

A grand jury announced on Tuesday that Carmen Lineberger unlawfully retained Department of Justice (DOJ) records linked to the Florida case against Trump, which was led by former special counsel Jack Smith. The investigation indicated that Trump may have improperly held onto classified national security documents after his presidency.

Lineberger’s attorney has not provided comments regarding the case. She faces serious charges, including theft of government property, destruction or falsification of records in a federal investigation, and the concealment or mutilation of public documents. If convicted on all counts, she could potentially face a sentence of up to 24 years in prison, according to the DOJ.

Allegedly, Lineberger’s misconduct involved sending Smith’s report on the Trump incident to her personal email in September, disguised under the file name “Bundt_Cake_Recipe.pdf.” U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon, appointed by Trump, had previously instructed attorneys not to distribute the report outside official channels. Additionally, the indictment stated that Lineberger improperly saved DOJ memos and messages in a document named “Chocolate_cake_recipe.pdf.”

In a related context, Smith ended Trump’s lawsuits regarding a dossier and other claims of election interference after Trump was re-elected in 2024. Prior to Smith’s decision, Judge Cannon ruled that the Biden administration’s designation of Smith as special counsel lacked constitutional validity, siding with Trump’s defense that such appointments required Congressional approval.