# DOJ/Jack Smith Investigation into Trump and Election Interference, January 6th Insurrection (Re-Indicted August 27, 2024)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Tags:** trump\
**Created:** [November 23, 2022, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455 "2022-11-23T20:14:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 119

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2364 "2024-03-29T14:37:44Z")

</div>

> [@MikeF](#):
>
> we are talking about the American electorate here

I’ve seen several polls that indicate that about 1/4 to 1/3 of Republicans would not vote for Convicted Felon Donald Trump.

Which makes sense to me. While the hardcore base will never get out of their cognitive dissonance, I can see where some would be rationalizing “well this is just a Democratic prosecutor trying to make a name for himself”. But an actual trial and then conviction might make them think “oh wow, he really did commit a crime.”

Especially since a significant portion of the electric is _completely unaware_ that he is even facing 4 felony trials. But once those trials are a daily news item, it might actually sink in.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2365 "2024-03-29T14:43:11Z")

</div>

> [@Aspenglow](#):
>
> Please heed the mod note that just preceded both your posts.

Sorry about that. I was focused on not discussing prison options and then I went off into the weeds on inauguration riots.

I’ll work on being better about staying on topic.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2366 "2024-03-29T14:43:15Z")

</div>

Well fuck. I just read that the Supreme Court decision might be the _end_ of June. To render a decision that is so patently obvious—as the Court of Appeals made abundantly clear in their detailed response, basically doing the Supremes’ work for them.

Not sure even Chutkan would start this trial in September.

Fucking SCOTUS. This has Alito written all over it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2367 "2024-03-29T15:06:39Z")

</div>

> [@kay1864](#):
>
> I’ve seen several polls that indicate that about 1/4 to 1/3 of Republicans would not vote for Convicted Felon Donald Trump.

If you can find them, would you mind posting links to these polls in the “Polling is broken” thread? Trump’s softening Republican-voter support is an ongoing talking point in that thread, and any new data points are most welcome.

> [@Polling is broken, right? Or is it the news? Or all of the US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polling-is-broken-right-or-is-it-the-news-or-all-of-the-us/993779/202):
>
> More like 90% dropping to 70%. That’s a big shift. 80 to 75 doesn’t feel qualitatively different to me. If you’re losing sleep over 75%, you’re losing sleep over 80.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2368 "2024-03-29T15:09:20Z")

</div>

Does anyone know why (especially in light of the appeals court ironclad decision), Chutkan can’t go ahead and put it on the docket for July or August? That gives TFG‘s lawyers plenty of time to prepare, since for _this_ case they’re just twiddling their thumbs waiting for the late-June Scotus decision.

It appeared to me that she canceled the initial March date _just in case_ the Scotus decision was in his favor. Well, she could do the same thing with the July or August date, right?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2369 "2024-03-29T15:43:00Z")

</div>

> [@kay1864](#):
>
> Does anyone know why (especially in light of the appeals court ironclad decision), Chutkan can’t go ahead and put it on the docket for July or August?

As others have noted, court timetables differ from - and are generally more glacial than - what we might expect. She COULD schedule it earlier, but why SHOULD she? I’m not sure a desire to hold a trial before the fall election is an appropriate reason for a judge to consider in expediting schedules. And there is generally a premium placed on NOT having to do things twice if thatcan be avoided with a relatively brief delay.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2370 "2024-03-29T15:59:11Z")

</div>

With a lot of these delays, I wonder how much the judges take into consideration that if they can kick the can far enough down the road, they won’t have to make a decision before he dies, or at least loses the election. Of course, if they get it wrong, they’re going to find themselves in the unenviable position of having to rule against (and possibly sentence) a sitting president.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2371 "2024-03-29T16:05:25Z")

</div>

> [@Dinsdale](#):
>
> She COULD schedule it earlier, but why SHOULD she? I’m not sure a desire to hold a trial before the fall election is an appropriate reason for a judge to consider in expediting schedules.

From my lengthy post above:  
A. She absolutely does not care that he’s in the middle of a campaign (she’s already on record that former presidents enjoy no special conditions on criminal liability)  
B. The American people have the right to know if the nominee is a criminal, before the election (I’m parrotting Jack Smith, but I’m guessing she agrees with that logic)  
C. TFG’s crime is _germane to the election itself_

Not to mention it was originally scheduled for March 4, so clearly she thought that was an appropriate date, even before an election.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2372 "2024-03-29T16:23:21Z")

</div>

> [@Dinsdale](#):
>
> As others have noted, court timetables differ from - and are generally more glacial than - what we might expect. She COULD schedule it earlier, but why SHOULD she?

Because the courts should always work as quickly as practical. That’s such a fundamental expectation that it made it into the Constitution.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2373 "2024-03-29T16:45:03Z")

</div>

If she schedules it now, they will appeal the schedule pending SCOTUS. More work all around.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2374 "2024-03-29T16:51:51Z")

</div>

> [@Chronos](#):
>
> Because the courts should always work as quickly as practical. That’s such a fundamental expectation that it made it into the Constitution.

If I didn’t make it clear, I agree that court schedules often impress me as granting excessive time. In other threads, I have questioned the amount of time parties claim they need to prepare. But the expectation of a speedy trial has to be weighed against due process, as well as judical economy.

Put simply, the court is concerned with the specific matter before it - NOT various other aspects of the parties’ lives.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2375 "2024-03-29T17:10:19Z")

</div>

> [@Dinsdale](#):
>
> But the expectation of a speedy trial has to be weighed against due process, as well as judical economy.

Sure. So you schedule the trial for right after the Supreme Court is expected to rule. If they rule against immunity, then you go ahead on schedule. If they rule that Trump is immune, then you cancel the trial. If they decide later than you expected, and still haven’t ruled by the time of your set trial date, then you postpone it until such time as they do rule.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2376 "2024-03-29T17:46:02Z")

</div>

> [@Chronos](#):
>
> So you schedule the trial for right after the Supreme Court is expected to rule.

Sounds good. But how clear is the “expectation” as to when the SCt will rule?

The trial court is juggling a lot of pieces, all of which require lead time. And whenever the date arrives, you can count on lawyers trying to get additional delays. So a longer lead time now lessens the chances of needing to give in to such future requests.

Happens to me all the time - we schedule hearings 75 days out, and 2 days before the hrg the rep asks for a postponement because they haven’t been able to get in touch with their client. Whether I give them a postponement or not, someone else - who was responsibly pursuing their case - coulda had that slot that just got wasted.

I’ll just state it one last time and shut up - courts’ timetables and expectations of promptness are very different than most of ours. And courts often act as though the wishes/convenience of others outside the court are beneath their consideration. I’d like to hope they are generally just consumed with the weighty matters they have to handle, but at times is is hard to avoid feeling as tho they are intentionally slow-walking matters just to flaunt their authority.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2377 "2024-03-30T18:44:37Z")

</div>

Nevermind, after the mod note.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2024, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2378 "2024-04-01T01:38:57Z")

</div>

If Trump wins the election and but gets convicted before the inauguration, what prevents his inauguration? Nothing, as far as I can tell.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2379 "2024-04-27T22:56:46Z")

</div>

[Shocker From Top Conservative Judge: Trump Likely To Skate Completely](https://newrepublic.com/article/181059/luttig-trump-january-6-case)

> [@](#):
>
> Luttig’s fear that Trump may very well skate centers on the lines of questioning from the court’s right-wing majority about Special Counsel Jack Smith’s ongoing prosecution of Trump. As [many observers noted](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/26/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-immunity-election.html), those justices appeared largely uninterested in the question before them—whether Trump’s alleged crimes related to the insurrection constituted official presidential acts that are immune from prosecution after leaving office.
> 
> Instead, the justices dwelled on the supposed future consequences of prosecuting presidents for crimes . . .
> 
> “I believe it is now likely either that Trump will get elected and instruct his attorney general to drop the charges, or that the Supreme Court will grant him immunity from prosecution,” Luttig told me.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2380 "2024-05-02T11:07:44Z")

</div>

“Former President Donald Trump acknowledged Wednesday that he told the Secret Service he wanted to go to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, depicting a different tone of an event that became a contentious detail of a former White House aide’s testimony before the House committee that investigated the attack.”

> **[Trump acknowledges he told Secret Service on Jan. 6 that he would 'like to go...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-acknowledges-told-secret-service-jan-6-go-capitol-rcna150298)**
>
> The remark came as Trump criticized the account of a former top aide to ex-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows who was a key witness during the House Jan. 6 committee’s hearings investigating the Capitol attack.

“Remember the person that said I attacked a Secret Service agent in the front of the car?” Trump said, referring to Hutchinson’s testimony. “It’s not my deal. I’m a lover, not a fighter.” 🤮

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2381 "2024-05-02T11:17:48Z")

</div>

He just can’t not lie. I’ve corrected a number of dipshits on that. She testified that she was told of the incident by a blowhard SS agent. Not that she witnessed it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2382 "2024-05-04T13:39:11Z")

</div>

9 posts were merged into an existing topic: [FBI Search and Seizure at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Residence (August 8, 2022)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022/969329/8103)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455/2383 "2024-05-08T21:11:14Z")

</div>

I’m just going to tack this onto each of the threads about Trump’s pending criminal matters:

> **[Timeline: Key legal and electoral dates for Donald Trump](https://www.yahoo.com/news/timeline-key-legal-and-electoral-dates-for-donald-trump-165958629.html)**
>
> In order to make sense of Trump's often-overlapping election and court dates, we’ve put together a comprehensive timeline that is constantly being updated.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455.md?page=118)

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-jack-smith-investigation-into-trump-and-election-interference-january-6th-insurrection-re-indicted-august-27-2024/975455.md?page=120)
