Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Biden administration's Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting records related to Special Counsel Jack Smith's corruption investigation into President-elect Trump. I asked for it.
In a release, the Republican AG claimed that former special counsel Robert Mueller, who led the team investigating Trump regarding lies about Trump's election cooperation with Russia, “destroyed the record.”
“Past special counsels, including the infamous Robert Mueller, destroyed records at the end of their investigations to avoid accountability,” Paxton said in a statement.
“It is not clear why no one was prosecuted for such acts,” he added. “This request is part of my office's efforts to ensure that Americans are never again deprived of accountability or information. This pattern of weaponizing the justice system for partisan retribution must end. yeah.”
Jordan asks Smith to keep all records related to Trump prosecution as special counsel's office closes
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke at a press conference in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
Paxton's request alleged that past special advisers “appear to have intentionally destroyed documents” while in office.
“This office considers the destruction of any of the documents requested herein a crime under 18 U.S.C. Section 1361 and will refer the matter for prosecution if destruction occurs,” the letter states. has been done.
President-elect Trump has already met with his transition team to strategize how to fill the positions in his administration.
According to the Department of Justice18 USC § 1361 “protects ‘any property’ of the United States or any agency or department thereof.”
Special Counsel Jack Smith speaks at the Justice Department in Washington, DC, on August 1, 2023, regarding the recently unsealed indictment containing four felonies against former President Trump. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Paxton's FOIA request comes after the House Judiciary Committee shared concerns that prosecutors involved in the Smith and Trump investigations would “wipe” records to avoid oversight. It is.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) sent a letter to Smith on Friday requesting all documents related to the investigation by the end of this month. He asked that it be submitted to Congress.
“The Judiciary Committee continues to monitor the Department of Justice and the Office of the Special Counsel. Recent public reports indicate that prosecutors in your office have “We are gambling with our legal options,'' they wrote. “With President Trump's decisive victory this week, we are concerned that the Office of the Special Counsel may seek to erase records, communications, and documents related to our numerous requests for information. I am concerned that
President-elect Trump celebrated his presidential election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris early Wednesday morning. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Following Trump's decisive victory, the Justice Department is considering rolling back two policies. federal criminal case to President Trump as he prepares for his second term in the White House.
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The decision maintains a long-standing policy that prevents Justice Department lawyers from prosecuting sitting presidents.
Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
