Former U.S. Attorney Facing Charges in Pennsylvania

A former U.S. attorney involved in the investigation of President Donald Trump is facing charges for alleged mishandling of documents in Pennsylvania. A complaint filed on Tuesday by the Center for the Advancement of American Security (CASA) indicates that if Carmen Lineberger is convicted of federal charges, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s disciplinary panel “should pursue disciplinary action” concerning her law license in the state.

The indictment issued during the Trump administration accuses Lineberger of keeping files related to former special counsel Jack Smith’s case against Trump on her personal email account, using names like “Bundt_Cake_Recipe.pdf” and “Chocolate_cake_recipe.pdf.”

“Mr. Lineberger should be investigated for attempting to steal documents that she was not authorized to bring in her civilian capacity,” CASA stated to the board. The organization further expressed that her actions were, in essence, criminal and involved a significant level of dishonesty, misrepresenting to her employer the true nature of the documents.

Lineberger’s attorney declined to provide any comments regarding the situation. The ongoing investigation into Smith and Lineberger, under the previous administration of President Joe Biden, has led to claims that Trump unlawfully stored classified materials at his Florida estate after his first term. Notably, Smith abandoned the Florida case and a related lawsuit concerning the interference in the 2020 election after Trump won reelection, with a judge later ruling that Smith’s appointment as special counsel in 2024 was unconstitutional.

CASA’s complaint also alleges that Lineberger continues to use a Florida Department of Justice address, which allegedly breaches Pennsylvania’s regulations. Her profile on the Pennsylvania State Disciplinary Board website indicates she is still employed by the Department of Justice.

Furthermore, CASA asserts, “fraud, deception, and misrepresentation are evident in the manner in which Mr. Lineberger stole the records.” They noted that she renamed the file to imply it was simply a cake recipe, suggesting an awareness that someone in authority might prevent her from possessing the documents. This move seems designed to conceal the actual content, indicating she might have understood the severity of her actions, regardless of whether she recognized them as criminal.