Was it just a coincidence that Garland chose prosecutor from the International Court?

[kentuck]

He did say that there were "extraordinary" circumstances.

He also mentioned that it became necessary to appoint a SC when Trump announced his candidacy for the Presidency, and since Biden had mentioned his intentions on running in 2024, he decided to put the investigation into the hands of an independent Special Counsel. It was appropriate for appearances sake, if for nothing else.

Are they investigating more than what we know about, or what the media has thus far reported?

In my opinion, it is a little curious.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. Watching that video of TDFG mentioning the Special Prosecutor

Shows just how scared of indictments he(TDFG) is. He makes a mockery of the J6 committee and all who testified before them, their video evidence of that day, etc. TDFG is the "most innocent" in the history of this country?

You ain't seen NOTHIN' yet, you orange slab of blubber! The Law is coming you cur, and HELL is coming with him.

[link:http://

[sop]

2. Lady Justice.

Hell is coming with "her."

[MayReasonRule]

3. Generally speaking...

They're always investigating more than what we know about and what the media reports.

Special Counsel is absolutely appropriate.

Time will tell how things play out, it always does.

[kentuck]

4. He looks like an autocrat assassin.

Ready to drop the hammer.

[MayReasonRule]

5. LoL

Well, he's absolutely got the nails!

[Tetrachloride]

6. At the very least, its a bonus.

But once the idea of Mr Smith set in, it is flat out no coincidence.

Chance became no coincidence.

[Samrob]

7. I believe there may be extenuating international circumstances...like involving Russia or SA.

[Bluethroughu]

8. Jared's billions from Suadis?

The Secret classified nuclear docs, Russia?

Kim Jon, North Korea...trump's bestie??

Chi na?

Etc....

He needs to be locked up, and throw away the key.

History will not be kind to him and his treasonous family and followers.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. "more than what we know about"

Exactly, in my view. He chose an international prosecutor to escape partisanship as much as possible. Also note Smith has prosecuted cases against both Republicans and Democrats, and has a mixed conviction rate because of the complex cases he chose.

I still suspect much like many long before and after dating back to the late 1800s, that it's not just the government that surveils, that private entities, powerful rich corporate ones, also have their spotters, networks, informants, assets in place, and that as such, investigations will unfold in a bipartisan manner and some from either party could be swept up. He surely doesn't want to make those prosecutorial decisions, if any, inside DOJ. Republicans would be screaming.

So yes, you've nailed it. Deep thinking pays off.

[Lonestarblue]

10. The international connection may be that the Trump Organization and family have been

suspected of money laundering for foreign groups and oligarchs for decades. The sale of a Florida property to a Russian oligarch during the Great Recession for a whopping profit when real estate prices had fallen in the whole country is a good example. Trump paid millions in fines when he owned the New Jersey casinos for “irregular bank reporting.” Ivanka’s hotel in Azerbaijan was almost certainly money laundering. The hotel was built in an area not frequented by travelers and never opened and was eventually torn down. I read somewhere ages ago that one of the investors in that deal was Iranian General Soleimani—the one whose assassination Trump approved by the US military. Coincidence or eliminating evidence?

This is the kind of dirty money that comes from international drug smuggling and sex trafficking. I’m sure several countries would be interested to have a link into their processes.

[dlk]

11. Russians...?

They’ve been meddling in our political process for decades. As an international crime family headed by Trump, the boxes are checked for a RICO prosecution. I have full confidence when Garland pulls the tigger on this very complicated and far-reaching case, he won’t miss.

[mercuryblues]

12. The thing that made me go Hmmmmm...

He prosecuted was criminal at the Hauge.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Some of the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago were related to foreign intelligence

and might, may have, or did impact U.S. human intelligence assets in foreign countries.

So the scope of one of the investigations - the NARA one - would need someone who has special experience with international law.

Mar-a-Lago classified papers held U.S. secrets about Iran and China

Iran’s missile program, U.S. intelligence work aimed at China were among the most sensitive material seized by the FBI, people familiar with the matter say

By Devlin Barrett
Updated October 21, 2022 at 4:41 p.m. EDT|Published October 21, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. EDT


Some of the classified documents recovered by the FBI from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home and private club included highly sensitive intelligence regarding Iran and China, according to people familiar with the matter. If shared with others, the people said, such information could expose intelligence-gathering methods that the United States wants to keep hidden from the world.

At least one of the documents seized by the FBI describes Iran’s missile program, according to these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe an ongoing investigation. Other documents described highly sensitive intelligence work aimed at China, they said.

Unauthorized disclosures of specific information in the documents would pose multiple risks, experts say. People aiding U.S. intelligence efforts could be endangered, and collection methods could be compromised. In addition, other countries or U.S. adversaries could retaliate against the United States for actions it has taken in secret.

The classified documents about Iran and China are considered among the most sensitive the FBI has recovered to date in its investigation of Trump and his aides for possible mishandling of classified information, obstruction and destruction of government records, the people said. The criminal probe is unfolding even as the Justice Department and a district attorney in Georgia investigate alleged efforts by Trump and others to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and as a House select committee has subpoenaed the former president seeking documents and testimony related to those allegations.

(snip)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/10/21/trump-documents-mar-a-lago-iran-china/

Of course many of those documents seized are tied up with Special Master Dearie and are part of a process of segregating personal crap like news clippings and magazine covers, from SCIF-only Top Secret files, that were all thrown together in the same boxes.

[onenote]

14. His service as head of DOJ's Public Integrity Section probably was a much greater factor

in his selection.

[Hotler]

15. A prosecuter experienced at prosecuting dictators, is investigating a want to be dictator.

Is that irony? The orange one finds out that the game is no longer underhand softball. Special counsel is going to be throwing hard, high and inside. Best not crowd the plate. Bring a helmet.

[tblue37]

16. Can't drag Trump to the Hague, so they bring the Hague to him.

[brooklynite]

17. People look too often for patterns.

The USA does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC.