A hearing has commenced in the case involving former President Donald Trump and the seized classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The focus of the hearing is on the appointment of Jack Smith as a special prosecutor in the case.
In December, former Reagan administration Attorney General Edwin Meese submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court, arguing that Smith's appointment as special counsel was unlawful, thus questioning his authority to prosecute Trump.
Attorney General Merrick Garland had appointed Smith to the position while he was still a private citizen. Meese contended that Smith should have been chosen by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and operated within the Justice Department to serve as special counsel.
Judge Aileen Cannon is presiding over the hearing, where several experts not directly involved in the case will provide insights on the argument that Smith is not qualified to serve as special counsel, including testimony from Meese.
The hearing follows a delay in Trump's trial as Judge Cannon addresses various motions to dismiss the case.
The FBI seized 33 boxes of documents from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022. Trump faces 40 felony charges, including allegations of violating the Espionage Act, providing false statements to investigators, and conspiring to obstruct justice. Trump has entered a plea of not guilty in response to the charges.
