ICYMI: Documents Show NARA General Counsel Assisted in Classified Document Prosecution, Calling Jack Smith’s Court Filings into Question

WASHINGTON – Records obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) refute statements made by former Special Counsel Jack Smith in a February 2024 court filing regarding the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) involvement in the classified document case against President Trump. “Jack Smith represented to court that the National Archives didn’t substantively assist with the classified documents case against President Trump. These representations to the court were entirely false,” Grassley said . In response to President Trump’s January 16, 2024, motion to compel discovery from NARA on the basis that NARA participated in the government’s prosecution, the Special Counsel’s Office on February 2, 2024, claimed to the court that NARA was not part of the prosecution team and therefore President Trump’s motion should be denied. Specifically, the Special Counsel Office’s filing says that no NARA personnel “played any role in the development of prosecutorial strategy” and “NARA’s involvement in the investigation consisted entirely of providing documents and information.” However, according to NARA communications obtained by Chairman Grassley, former NARA General Counsel Gary Stern reviewed, commented on and gave edits to the Department of Justice’s court filings related to the classified documents case against President Trump. -30-