Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Celerity

(54,011 posts)
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 12:51 PM Oct 2025

Jack Smith Reveals He Had "Tons of Evidence" Against Trump



The former special counsel is speaking out against the Trump administration.

https://newrepublic.com/post/201788/jack-smith-evidence-trump

https://archive.ph/E5qUc



Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith—who has been tormented by MAGA for years over his dual criminal investigations into President Trump for illegal possession of classified documents and his role in January 6—is pulling out receipts.

“One of the major differences between the [Biden and Trump] cases is the obstructive conduct in the case that I investigated.… To prove illegal possession of classified documents, you need to show that the defendant possesses the documents willfully. That means [Trump] knew what he was doing was wrong,” Smith said in a sit-down interview at the University College London Centre for Global Constitutional Democracy, made available Tuesday. “We had tons of evidence of willfulness.”


The case Smith is referring to, in which Trump was charged with keeping classified documents in Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House, resulted in a 40-felony-count indictment against the president in 2023. The case was eventually dropped after Trump won the election in 2024. “The government even tried to get them back before there was a criminal investigation, and then after the investigation started, [Trump] still [refused] to give them back, and then [tried] to obstruct the investigation,” Smith continued.

Even with this knowledge, it’s virtually impossible that Trump will receive any kind of consequence for these crimes, as he continues to harangue Smith—calling him a “sleazebag”—and anyone else who dared to investigate him, like New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey.

snip
44 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Jack Smith Reveals He Had "Tons of Evidence" Against Trump (Original Post) Celerity Oct 2025 OP
I really don't know what to do with this. Baitball Blogger Oct 2025 #1
America executed 2 people (the Rosenbergs) for doing exactly what Trump did with those stolen documents Botany Oct 2025 #2
Ethel Rosenberg was innocent OutNow Oct 2025 #26
Ethel was well aware of what her husband was doing Botany Oct 2025 #27
I think Ethel's husband should have gotten life in prison only. Xolodno Oct 2025 #28
if only this had been released prior to the most samsingh Oct 2025 #3
We've handed the country over to criminals and fascists. hadEnuf Oct 2025 #4
They had a long term plan. littlemissmartypants Oct 2025 #7
Really hard to grasp what is happening here. bluestarone Oct 2025 #5
IT WAS THE JUDGE WHO DELAYED THE PROCEEDINGS OVER AND OVER maxsolomon Oct 2025 #41
Yea ty, i remember now, after the supreme court granted immunity, right? bluestarone Oct 2025 #42
Is there s reason kacekwl Oct 2025 #6
Yes. H2O Man Oct 2025 #10
so garland held it back? nt Javaman Oct 2025 #12
No. H2O Man Oct 2025 #13
please elaborate. nt Javaman Oct 2025 #14
Oh, sure. H2O Man Oct 2025 #16
ahh okay, I thought it was. thanks! :) nt Javaman Oct 2025 #17
garland was the ag rampartd Oct 2025 #30
Perhaps you H2O Man Oct 2025 #33
Which one of the Supremes? flamingdem Oct 2025 #35
but he did not release the report, so "yes" rampartd Oct 2025 #31
Wrong. H2O Man Oct 2025 #32
Leaks are very popular kacekwl Oct 2025 #29
They sure can be. H2O Man Oct 2025 #34
Yeah, I know. I'm surprised there haven't been more of them of late. hamsterjill Oct 2025 #44
A kick and a rec for you for providing the archive link. ... littlemissmartypants Oct 2025 #8
kick Passages Oct 2025 #9
Recommended. H2O Man Oct 2025 #11
Well, SOMEBODY needs to be! calimary Oct 2025 #21
Trump is a career criminal that commits Johonny Oct 2025 #15
Halligan will probably indict Smith in the coming weeks. sop Oct 2025 #18
Yup. Even with Halligan's lack of evidence, experience, credentials - just a failed beauty queen. erronis Oct 2025 #20
and it will be a complete joke if so LymphocyteLover Oct 2025 #37
It's all meaningless and probably destroyed now because he sat on it. live love laugh Oct 2025 #19
He did prosecute maxsolomon Oct 2025 #43
Jack Smith and Merrick Garland were failures. oldmanlynn Oct 2025 #22
Patience, grasshopper. Garland's got this. Scrivener7 Oct 2025 #23
What Smith should do.... 1. Keep it up Grins Oct 2025 #24
No wonder Smith has not been indicted flamingdem Oct 2025 #36
Makes me wonder... WestMichRad Oct 2025 #25
Everyone paying attention knew Dump was guilty as fuck in this documents case. LymphocyteLover Oct 2025 #38
Well hold on to it, just in case Abstractartist Oct 2025 #39
Evidence gfarber Oct 2025 #40

Botany

(76,835 posts)
2. America executed 2 people (the Rosenbergs) for doing exactly what Trump did with those stolen documents
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 01:35 PM
Oct 2025

and another (FBI agent Robert Hansen) died in the Federal Super Max doing 15 life terms for
doing what Trump did. The Republicans, Leonard Leo, and the U.S. Supreme Court protected
him in their rulings and in installing Cannon as a Federal Judge in Florida. If my family member
who worked in remote sensing… satellites …. were to speak of his work he would be arrested
today.

OutNow

(912 posts)
26. Ethel Rosenberg was innocent
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 06:10 PM
Oct 2025

Documents released in the 1990s showed that Ethel Rosenberg was innocent of the crimes she was charged with and was added to the case in order to pressure her husband to plead guilty. If you're interested in learning more about the case google "the Venona papers"

Botany

(76,835 posts)
27. Ethel was well aware of what her husband was doing
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 06:28 PM
Oct 2025

Gorbachev opened up the KGB files on the
Rosenbergs in the 1990s.

Xolodno

(7,322 posts)
28. I think Ethel's husband should have gotten life in prison only.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 06:55 PM
Oct 2025

And Ethel with a reduced sentence, if I recollect correctly, one of the brothers was in on it as well and sold her down the river.

Soviets already had the math figured out for the bomb before anyone. Stalin was skeptical at first of it and didn't pursue it. It was only when they found out about our and Germany's development they started looking at it more closely. The spy's weren't there to steal secrets, but mainly confirm they were on the right path.

When Truman mentioned to Stalin that they had a new weapon that was capable of massive destruction, Stalin didn't even bat an eye. As almost he already knew. Even implied he hoped it could be used soon. He knew they were not too far behind.

The hubris of Truman saying the Soviets would never get it was something else. Once they found out they did, it was assumed it had to be spy's and they must pay.

samsingh

(18,354 posts)
3. if only this had been released prior to the most
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 01:53 PM
Oct 2025

important election where Democracy was at stake.

hadEnuf

(3,574 posts)
4. We've handed the country over to criminals and fascists.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 01:55 PM
Oct 2025

Knowingly, unknowingly or just bad judgement, this is where we are.

bluestarone

(21,757 posts)
5. Really hard to grasp what is happening here.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 01:59 PM
Oct 2025

How in the fuck did TSF squeeze out of this? I had full faith in Smith and letitia James!! (was it the Supreme court?)

bluestarone

(21,757 posts)
42. Yea ty, i remember now, after the supreme court granted immunity, right?
Thu Oct 16, 2025, 11:39 AM
Oct 2025

So even today, after we win the House and Senate, there is nothing we can do until that court is expanded to 13 judges. Correct? Edit to add that when we get control of either houses, could Smith be re-appointed to finish this investigation?

kacekwl

(9,016 posts)
6. Is there s reason
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 01:59 PM
Oct 2025

that this "evidence" could not have been released by Smith before the election or after the election or in the last 6 years ? Sure trump would suffer no consequences but it would be clear to those who care and those who don't that he's a criminal traitor.

H2O Man

(78,880 posts)
10. Yes.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 02:13 PM
Oct 2025

It is not something he can release. It's 100% up to the AG. If you recall, that was the same thing with the Mueller Report, and Barr's bullshit when he released it. Thus, the AG has released Mr. Smith's first report, but not his second one, per the theft of documents.

H2O Man

(78,880 posts)
16. Oh, sure.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 02:24 PM
Oct 2025

Mr. Smith's report would have needed to be completed for the previous AG to reloease it.

rampartd

(4,378 posts)
30. garland was the ag
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 08:26 PM
Oct 2025

and no help.

cannon was the judge on trump's defense team. and an active defender of treason.

the supremes, at last 6 of them. are in trump's defense team.

is it paranoia to suggest that kras nov has hooks into anyone with authority to stop his destruction? eostein tapes, no matter how they deny, seem likely.

H2O Man

(78,880 posts)
33. Perhaps you
Thu Oct 16, 2025, 12:38 AM
Oct 2025

blame Garland for not releasing a report that was not completed when he was in a position to do so. That might, I would suggest, that it is better to know when the report was completed.

I'm not sure what you are saying in your last sentence. But the Epstein tapes are not the felon's "secret weapon" that prevents anyone from stopping him.

rampartd

(4,378 posts)
31. but he did not release the report, so "yes"
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 08:34 PM
Oct 2025

result : 2024 debacle places de facto Russian agent back into position to destroy our economy/health/defense and terrorize the world.

H2O Man

(78,880 posts)
34. They sure can be.
Thu Oct 16, 2025, 12:41 AM
Oct 2025

Considering the files the felon stole were classified was the reason he knew better than to leak them. If he had, the DOJ would have actual grounds to prosecute him. I don't think Mr. Smith is prone to making such errors.

hamsterjill

(17,253 posts)
44. Yeah, I know. I'm surprised there haven't been more of them of late.
Thu Oct 16, 2025, 12:11 PM
Oct 2025

Kind of disappointing if you ask me.

littlemissmartypants

(32,806 posts)
8. A kick and a rec for you for providing the archive link. ...
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 02:09 PM
Oct 2025

I don't think enough of us realize how important it is to use them. Otherwise, the sh¡t going to start disappearing and we may not have access to a single syllable of truth.

❤️

H2O Man

(78,880 posts)
11. Recommended.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 02:18 PM
Oct 2025

I listened to an interview with Mr. Smith today. He is on the offensive. This is a good thing. Actually, a great thing.

erronis

(23,293 posts)
20. Yup. Even with Halligan's lack of evidence, experience, credentials - just a failed beauty queen.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 03:15 PM
Oct 2025

I worry about people being Epstein'd in the trump retribution crusade.

live love laugh

(16,275 posts)
19. It's all meaningless and probably destroyed now because he sat on it.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 03:12 PM
Oct 2025

The real story is why he didn’t prosecute. Were his hands tied? By who?

oldmanlynn

(803 posts)
22. Jack Smith and Merrick Garland were failures.
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 03:33 PM
Oct 2025

Sure they can make excuses but they failed and now the country is paying.

I hope dems dont take another damn high road.

When they go low we need to pin them to the ground and never let it happen again.

Grins

(9,354 posts)
24. What Smith should do.... 1. Keep it up
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 03:49 PM
Oct 2025

1. Keep it up. Each subsequent public statement even more condemning, almost calling the orange ‘useful idiot’ a Russian asset.

2. Repetition and media attention will force the preening narcissist who lives for revenge to lash out.

3. He will sue Smith, à la E. Jean Carroll, for defamation with damages in the BILLIONS! (It’s who HE IS!!)

4. Discovery will be lit! And short. Smith already knows the evidence.

5.
Smith gets the trial he wants.
The nation finds out Trump IS a Russian tool and possible traitor.
Maybe, this time, the MAGA will realize they voted not only for a psychopath, but a traitor, too.

WestMichRad

(3,098 posts)
25. Makes me wonder...
Wed Oct 15, 2025, 06:01 PM
Oct 2025

… what kind of info the orange sleaze bag and his minions are snitching this time around, to weaponize it against political opponents in the future.

LymphocyteLover

(9,625 posts)
38. Everyone paying attention knew Dump was guilty as fuck in this documents case.
Thu Oct 16, 2025, 06:51 AM
Oct 2025

He is a fucking traitor and belongs in jail.
Goddammit this is all so fucked up.

Abstractartist

(431 posts)
39. Well hold on to it, just in case
Thu Oct 16, 2025, 08:26 AM
Oct 2025

I also think with all this discovery, he found way more then anyone including trump knew about. I would not be surprised if he doesn’t have the complete Epstein files too. Interesting how he hasn’t been “indicted” for anything yet…. That discovery phase would be a dream to watch.

I vote for Jack Smith to preside over the new Nuremberg style war crime trials with trump, bondi, et.al

gfarber

(236 posts)
40. Evidence
Thu Oct 16, 2025, 10:29 AM
Oct 2025


There once was a counsel named Jack,
Who put Trump’s whole case on the track.
With documents stashed,
And subpoenas abashed,
He found willfulness—cold, hard, and black.

Some papers were kept by the shore,
In boxes and closets galore.
Though laws were quite clear,
Trump grinned ear to ear—
Then claimed they were his to adore.

Said Smith, “There’s a mountain, not fluff,
Of willfulness—more than enough!
He blocked and delayed,
He lied and he swayed,
And still said, ‘This charge is a bluff!’”

Forty counts made the headlines ignite,
The facts, you could say, were airtight.
But power reclaimed,
The charges got maimed—
And justice gave way to the right.

He stalled when the Feds came to call,
Said, “These are mine, not yours at all!”
Then shifted some files,
With signature wiles—
While lawyers just stared at the wall.

Jack Smith, though composed and refined,
Is labeled with names ill-designed.
With insults and tweets,
Trump never retreats—
He governs, while justice is blind.

The law says, “No man is above,”
Yet Trump fits that glove like a glove.
With power in hand,
He rebrands the land—
And shrugs at the rules from above.
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Jack Smith Reveals He Had...