In the 2024 Presidential election, investigators, and prosecutors whose names will never appear on the ballot could have a huge role in shaping the final results of that election. One is Jack Smith, the Biden administration’s choice to investigate and prosecute former President Trump. In announcing Smith’s appointment, U.S Attorney General Merrick Garland failed to mention Smith’s mixed history as a prosecutor in high profile cases.
Exhibit A is Jack Smith’s role as chief of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Unit when Bob McDonnell was indicted and convicted of alleged bribery. Prior to his conviction, McDonnell was a rising star in the Republican party having been elected as Attorney General and as Governor in Virginia; a politically purple battleground state. After his conviction, McDonnell’s future in politics was finished, despite a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn his conviction. In a recent interview, McDonnell said this about his experience with Jack Smith: “I think he’s just overzealous. I think he doesn’t do an honest look at the law… he’d rather win than get it right.”
Affirming McDonnell’s assessment was Smith’s experience when his office prosecuted U.S. Senator Robert Menendez for alleged bribery. That case ended in a mistrial when ten of the twelve jurors who heard the evidence presented, wanted to return a verdict of “not guilty.” Following the trial, Menendez said, “The way this case started was wrong, the way it was investigated was wrong, the way it was prosecuted was wrong.”
Smith struck out for a third time in the prosecution of John Edwards, a former U.S. Senator and former challenger to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. In this case, a jury returned a “not guilty” verdict on one charge and a judge declared a mistrial when the jury could not agree on five other charges. The Justice Department then dropped additional charges and never filed new ones.
Smith’s prosecutorial conduct so far on one Trump indictment is already raising doubts on his understanding of and commitment to one of the most basic principles of American criminal law — due process. Earlier this month, Smith’s team admitted in a court filing that they failed to turn over all evidence to Trump’s legal team as required by law. Worse yet, they claimed that they had done so when in fact they had not.
Smith is not the only prosecutor aggressively securing indictments against Trump. All this leads one to ask why and why now?
Could it be the Biden re-election campaign has seen recent polling reports compiled by RealClear Politics. Those reports show the potential for a very close election rematch between Biden and Trump in 2024. Could it be the Biden campaign has launched an aggressive campaign to generate negative media reports designed to denigrate Biden’s current most formidable potential opponent? Could it be part of a strategy to use announcements on Trump investigations and/or indictments (four and counting) to divert public attention away from yet to be fully answered questions on alleged misdeeds by Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and other members of the Biden family? Those questions include, but are not limited to, ones on President Biden’s previous and/or ongoing involvement in Hunter Biden’s very lucrative business ventures with foreign governments and foreign businesses, some of whom are openly hostile to America.
One can ask — are Jack Smith and other prosecutors who are investigating and indicting Trump seekers of truth and justice; or are they political operatives focusing on derailing possible success of a targeted political candidate?
Going forward there is a critical need for a thorough investigation to determine the motives, agenda, and the real goals of Jack Smith and others as an investigator and as a prosecutor.
David Reel is a public affairs/public relations consultant who serves as a trusted advisor on strategy, advocacy, and media matters who resides in Easton.
Holly Wright says
What does it take for the Talbot Spy to identify you as the former chairman of the Talbot County Republican Party.
Editor says
The Spy has always deferred to the author about how they wish to describe their biography.
Holly Wright says
Of course. Forgive me for being so intemperate. I so value the Spy and what it contributes to the community.
Mary Cantrill says
Thank you for sharing the fact that Mr Reel is the former chairman of Talbot Republican Party. While everyone can have their opinion, they should provide their affiliations in their bio. Especially when writing what is clearly a partisan article.
David Reel says
Ms. Wright
In the spirit of full disclosure and transparency when are you going to identify yourself in your submissions to the Talbot Spy and other local media outlets as a former DEMOCRAT candidate for the State Senate who ran an aggressive campaign against former incumbent Republican State Senator Addie Eckardt? You also did not mention that fact when you submitted a letter to the editor to local media suggesting that voters replace all the Republicans from our area who are currently serving in the Maryland General Assembly with Democrats. Based on your “thinking”, I should not have the right to express my opinions without mentioning the large number of former volunteer leadership positions I have held over the years in a wide range of not-for-profit organizations. In each of them I was expected to help advance their mission, but only while I was serving them. But you believe it is acceptable for you to express an opinion without acknowledging a partisan political position you held in your past. You have acknowledged I am a FORMER chair of the Republican Central Committee of Talbot County. I am no longer involved in any way with that organization and have not been for nearly three years. Since leaving the committee I have not and am not submitting any of their positions on any candidates or issues to the Spy or any other media outlets. I don’t even know what their positions are on any candidates or issues. The personal opinions and observations I express in the Spy are mine and mine alone.
Dick Deerin says
Jack Smith is exactly the kind of honest, smart, experienced, and ethical prosecutor this country needs to investigate and now prosecute Donald Trump for the myriad of crimes of which he is accused. In the United States no person is above the law.
William Keppen says
I do not know David Reel, personally, so I would not cast aspersions on him, personally. But, I think he might be guilty of what all too many partisan people who have access to the media; using that access to cherry pick and spin events and facts, for his/their own purposes. Why didn’t just come out and say; But whatabout Hunter’s laptop?
Reed Fawell 3 says
On the other hand, most likely, Mr. Reel is an America with an opinion that is different from yours who, unlike you, wrote down some facts that he reasonably believes support his opinion. You and others around here seem to have a problem with that.
Dennis Mesko says
“Trusted advisor” to whom?
Michael Pullen says
Mr. Reel would do better if he were to defend Mr. Trump based on the facts. That’s the honest approach. Since that is not possible because Mr. Trump’s attempted coup occurred in plain sight, he uses misdirection and deflection. This is shameful.
Let justice take its course. Let Mr. Trump argue his case in Court. He lost the election by 7 million votes and lost every lawsuit he filed to contest his loss.
You have nothing else to say, so you make personal attacks on the folks upholding the rule of law. You don’t even have the courtesy to reveal your role as former Chairman of the Talbot County Republican Central Committee, holding yourself out to be other than who you are.
William J Corba says
Drivel
Jerry McConnell says
The author of this blather is not objective enough in real life to justify giving him a forum in The Spy.
Please confine his articles to the GOP home page.
However,— to answer Mr Reel’s question—the Department of Justice and Mr Smith are pursuing these charges against Trump because he’s guilty of criminal conduct by trying to subvert the outcome of a valid election…and about a dozen other crimes.
Holly Wright says
I am a humble letter writer.You are a featured op ed writer which is why your writing has a bio at the bottom of the page. You should mention your partisan credentials since you write largely on politics. I am proud of my Democratic bona fides which you summarize accurately. Thank you.