Judge dismisses Trump’s election interference case

In a one-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Monday granted a request by special counsel Jack Smith to dismiss the charges in President-elect Donald Trump’s federal election interference case. Smith’s motion to dismiss was filed earlier in the day. In it, Smith said the Department Office of Legal Counsel had determined that, based on the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on the prosecution of a sitting president, the case would have to be dismissed before Trump is inaugurated. He added that the prohibition is unrelated to the seriousness of the alleged crimes or the strength of the evidence. Smith said he continues to stand behind the government’s allegations against Trump, despite his motion to dismiss. Judge Chutkan dismissed the case without prejudice, meaning that it can be brought up again on a future date.

The ruling comes about two weeks after the DOJ also filed an unopposed motion to dismiss all remaining court dates in the case. Federal prosecutors filed charges last year accusing Trump of attempting to overturn federal election results on Jan. 6, 2021.

What about Trump’s classified documents case? Smith filed a similar motion Monday in the federal classified documents case against Trump. Referencing the same reasons listed in his motion in the election interference case, Smith requested that the judge dismiss his appeal in the classified documents case as well. The indictment in that case had already been dismissed, and any decision to dismiss Smith’s appeal would effectively end the case against Trump. However, Smith noted that other defendants in the classified documents case would still face charges, since the Constitution’s immunity provisions only cover sitting presidents. The judge has yet to rule on that motion.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report for more about the government's move to vacate trial deadlines earlier this month. Also, read Carolina Lumetta’s report on the federal judge unsealing documents that Trump’s team fought to keep sealed.