Politics

WATERLOO - The second significant development in the 2024 presidential contest occurs less than two weeks after the 2022 midterm elections: Donald Trump, a freshly revealed presidential candidate, is being looked into by a special counsel.


As people processed the information, at least two things appeared likely: Trump will attempt to make the special counsel's appointment into a political issue in and of itself, and the appointment of a new top official will likely cause the conclusion of two significant federal investigations to be delayed, possibly until 2024.

Attorney General Merrick Garland mentioned another 2024 consideration while announcing the selection of seasoned prosecutor Jack Smith as special counsel: President Joe Biden will almost certainly run for re-election.

Jack Smith vs. Donald Trump? 

If early reactions offer any indication, Trump, who announced his candidacy for president on Tuesday, one week after the midterm elections, would almost certainly try to make Smith Biden's running mate. Trump has long contended that the government is pursuing him for political gain, and he made clear on Friday that he intends to keep doing so.

Trump declared the special counsel investigation to be "unfair" in an interview with Fox News Digital, adding that "the Republican Party needs to stand up and fight."

Republican party members echoed Trump, and some began to criticise as soon as Garland announced the appointment.

Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., claimed on Fox Business that "now that President Trump has announced for president, they're going to put a permanent entity in place that can hang this shadow over him until 2024."

Nobody is certain that this will be successful, not even Republican voters.

Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, and Mike Pence, the former vice president, are among potential Republican contenders who have avoided discussing the ongoing investigations against Trump. It's difficult to think that won't alter someday.

This weekend's meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition will feature some of the candidates, including Trump.

A lag in the events?

Numerous lawyers predicted that the new appointment would prolong the crucial decision of whether or not the Justice Department would charge and prosecute the former president.

According to national security attorney Bradley P. Moss, "Ironically, by appointing a Special Counsel this late in the game Garland just increased the likelihood that any potential prosecution of Trump will bleed into the 2024 general election season."

Two investigations will be handled by the new special prosecutor.

One covers suspected attempts to steal Biden's 2020 election; this investigation also centres on the uprising of January 6, 2021.

The second one relates to Trump's removal of sensitive records after he vacated the White House in January 2021.

Investigation into Georgia: still a fire

Smith's appointment only affects federal investigations; Georgia is the only state where Trump is still having issues.

The investigation into whether Trump broke the law by pressuring Georgia election officials to find votes to reverse his loss of the state to Biden is progressing under the direction of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her staff.

Biden 2024

Prior to the midterm elections, some Democrats had recommended that Biden think about retiring in 2024 due to his advanced age. (On Sunday, he turns 80.)

After the midterm elections, those discussions ceased, and when Garland announced the appointment of Smith to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest, she appeared to confirm Biden's intentions.

"Based on recent developments, including the former president's announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election, and the sitting president's stated intention to run as well, I have determined that it is in the public interest to appoint a special counsel," the attorney general declared.