Trump escalates his assault on special counsel Jack Smith, stoops low by targeting his family

Donald Trump, the former President, continued his relentless attack on special counsel Jack Smith during a rally in Claremont, New Hampshire. Trump once again labeled Smith as “deranged” and a “Trump-hating prosecutor,” even going as far as mentioning Smith’s family, claiming that they despise him even more than Smith does.

Smith is currently overseeing two federal cases against Trump, involving allegations of mishandling classified documents and attempting to overturn the 2020 election. As Trump faces these criminal charges, his public statements regarding the cases are being closely monitored by prosecutors and courts. As a criminal defendant, Trump is prohibited from attempting to intimidate witnesses or interfere with the legal system. The constitutionality of a gag order placed upon him is currently under review by a federal appellate court.

In relation to Trump’s federal election subversion case in Washington, DC, the gag order was temporarily paused while it is being appealed. Nevertheless, Trump had previously been barred from making specific comments about Smith, other prosecutors involved in the case, their families, and court personnel. Violations of this order could result in sanctions or even imprisonment.

During the rally, Trump emphasized the alleged animosity that Smith and his family have towards him, stating that Smith is “about at 10” and his family is “about a 15 on a scale of 10.” He criticized Smith’s prosecutorial history, describing him as a “disgrace to America.”

Trump also addressed the issue of intimidation in Smith’s investigation, claiming that there is always intimidation at the highest level. However, he asserted that he is focused on doing what is right for the country and remains unfazed by such tactics.

Some of Trump’s attacks stem from the political activities of Smith’s wife, filmmaker Katy Chevigny. Chevigny had donated $2,000 to the Biden campaign in 2020 and worked as a producer on a Netflix documentary about former first lady Michelle Obama. It is worth noting that Smith himself is a registered independent and has not made any donations to Democratic campaigns.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over Trump’s federal election subversion case in Washington, DC, issued a gag order against him last month due to concerns raised by prosecutors regarding potential witness intimidation and harm to prosecutors through public comments. Trump promptly appealed the order and requested a pause on its enforcement during the appeal process.

In response to Trump’s request, a three-judge panel at the US DC Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily paused the gag order issued by Judge Chutkan. This pause allows the judges more time to consider Trump’s appeal before making a final decision. As a result, Trump can once again freely express his criticisms of potential witnesses in the case.

The appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments regarding the gag order before Thanksgiving.

Please note that this story has been updated. Contributions to this report were made by CNN’s Devan Cole, Marshall Cohen, and Daniel Dale.

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