新发现的文件显示，前特别顾问杰克·史密斯的一名高级副手主张废除对立法者的一项关键宪法保护。“我是废除该条款的倡导者，但如果没有，我们就会坚持它以及它被解释的方式，”担任史密斯首席副检察官的JP Cooney在2021年的交流中写道。他正在与莫莉加斯顿，另一个检察官谁将继续加入史密斯，关于宪法的演讲或辩论条款。
Newly uncovered documents reveal that one of former special counsel Jack Smith’s top deputies advocated for repealing a key constitutional protection for lawmakers. "I’m an advocate for repealing the clause but absent that, we’re stuck with it and the way it’s been interpreted," JP Cooney, who served as Smith’s principal deputy prosecutor, wrote in a 2021 exchange first obtained by the Washington Examiner. He was speaking with Molly Gaston, another prosecutor who would go on to join Smith, about the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause.
美国宪法的演讲或辩论条款保护国会议员免于因其立法行为或演讲而受到民事或刑事起诉。理论上，它可以保护立法部门免受行政部门在起诉威胁下的胁迫。“向我办公室提供的记录显示，杰克·史密斯的得力助手J·P·库尼炫耀着他对保护权力分立的言论或辩论条款的蔑视。后来，库尼和史密斯秘密获取数十名国会议员的通行费记录和短信，违反了这一宪法保障，”参议院司法委员会主席、爱荷华州共和党参议员查克·格拉斯利（Chuck Grassley）告诉福克斯新闻数字。
The Speech or Debate Clause of the Constitution protects members of Congress from civil or criminal prosecution stemming from their legislative actions or speech. In theory, it shields the legislative branch from being coerced by the executive branch under threat of prosecution. "Records provided to my office revealed that Jack Smith’s right-hand man, J.P. Cooney, flaunted his disdain for the Speech or Debate Clause, which protects the separation of powers. Later, Cooney and Smith violated this constitutional safeguard by secretly obtaining toll records and text messages from dozens of members of Congress," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital.
杰克·史密斯（Jack Smith）在布朗奇（Blanchch）听证会上因揭露参议员的信息而再次成为焦点“杰克·史密斯（Jack Smith）和他的团队在他的党派调查中可耻地撕毁了宪法。当失控的民主党政府掌权时就会发生这种情况，”格拉斯利补充道。史密斯和他的工作人员负责调查推翻2020年总统选举的行为。库尼对演讲或辩论条款的立场是史密斯周二在国会山举行的听证会上的争论焦点。
JACK SMITH THRUST BACK INTO SPOTLIGHT AT BLANCHE HEARING OVER EXPOSED SENATORS’ MESSAGES "Jack Smith and his team disgracefully tore up the Constitution throughout his partisan investigation. That’s what happens when runaway Democrat government is in power," Grassley added. Smith and his staff were responsible for investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Cooney’s position on the Speech or Debate Clause was a point of contention during Smith’s Tuesday hearing on Capitol Hill.
“当你成为特别检察官时，你给你的员工提供了什么指示来处理演讲或辩论以及律师-委托人材料？你发布了任何指示吗？如果是这样，给谁？"请解释一下," 格拉斯利要求史密斯说明, 引用了库尼支持废除该条款的立场。"关于言论或辩论条款, 首先, 我们认真对待该条款下的义务。依我之见, 这是分权制衡的重要组成部分," 史密斯回应道。"
"When you became Special Counsel, what direction did you give your staff to handle Speech or Debate and Attorney-Client material? Did you issue any directives? If so, to whom? Please explain," Grassley asked Smith, citing Cooney’s support for repealing the clause. "So, with respect to the Speech or Debate Clause, first, we took our obligations seriously under the Speech or Debate Clause. It's, in my view, an important part of the separation of powers," Smith responded.
我的团队成员非常熟悉该条款, 多年来一直在公共廉政科工作。在适当或必要时, 我们也曾就该条款的适用咨询过公共廉政科。" 格拉斯利以其团队成员的行为与其陈述相悖为由, 驳回了史密斯的辩护。
"I had members of my staff who were very familiar with the clause, having worked in the public integrity section for years. We also, when it was appropriate or required, consulted with the public integrity section regarding application of that clause." Grassley dismissed Smith’s defense by arguing that the behavior of his staff contradicted his statement.
拜登特别检察官的"失控列车"收集敏感议员信息:"滥用职权" 共和党人认为, 库尼的观点预示了史密斯后来传唤议员通讯记录的做法。史密斯团队获取并审查了数十名议员的通讯记录, 单独的传票则针对一小部分国会议员的电话记录。获取并审查了与白宫人员通讯的议员包括: 查克·格拉斯利参议员(爱荷华州共和党)、罗恩·约翰逊参议员(威斯康星州共和党)、约翰·科宁参议员(得克萨斯州共和党)、乔什·霍利参议员(密苏里州共和党)、迈克·李参议员(犹他州共和党)、科里·布克参议员(新泽西州民主党)以及已故的林赛·格雷厄姆参议员(南卡罗来纳州共和党)。"
BIDEN SPECIAL COUNSEL’S 'RUNAWAY TRAIN’ SCOOPED UP SENSITIVE LAWMAKER INFO: 'ABUSE OF POWER' Republicans have argued Cooney’s views foreshadowed Smith’s later use of subpoenas for lawmakers’ communication records. Smith’s team obtained and reviewed communications involving dozens of lawmakers, while separate subpoenas sought telephone records associated with a smaller group of members of Congress. Among the lawmakers whose messages with White House personnel were obtained and reviewed were Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Ron Johnson, R-Wis., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Cory Booker, D-N.J., and the late Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
2023年, 库尼、加斯顿、温德姆和雷·赫尔瑟曾收到警告, 传唤国会信息可能违反言论或辩论条款," 格拉斯利此前表示。
"In 2023, Cooney, Gaston, Windom and Ray Hulser were given warnings that subpoenaing congressional information could violate the Speech or Debate clause," Grassley previously said.
爆炸性新报告让杰克·史密斯重陷风口浪尖, 吉姆·乔丹指控其试图"左右"2024年大选 库尼在另一起2021年调查中抱怨获取议员电话记录的法定限制, 曾一度称相关措辞"荒谬", 根据此前公布的信息显示。
EXPLOSIVE NEW REPORT PUTS JACK SMITH BACK IN HOT SEAT AS JIM JORDAN ALLEGES HE TRIED TO 'SWAY' 2024 ELECTION Cooney complained about statutory restrictions surrounding efforts to obtain lawmakers’ telephone records during a separate 2021 investigation, at one point calling the language "ridiculous," according to previously released messages.
当被问及库尼对言论或辩论条款的立场时，他现在工作的倡导组织“民主前进”向福克斯新闻数字公司推荐了一份宣布雇用他和加斯顿的新闻稿。库尼和加斯顿在新闻稿中表示，他们多年来“追究最有权势的人对公共腐败和侵犯公民权利的责任”，并表示，他们在特朗普政府“取消优先级”公共腐败执法的情况下加入了民主前进组织。
When asked about Cooney's position on the Speech or Debate Clause, Democracy Forward – the advocacy organization where he now works – referred Fox News Digital to a press release announcing its hiring of both him and Gaston. Cooney and Gaston said in the release that they had spent years "holding the most powerful accountable for public corruption and civil rights abuses" and said they joined Democracy Forward amid what they characterized as the Trump administration’s "de-prioritization" of public corruption enforcement.
虽然共和党人将史密斯的调查定性为政治政治迫害，但他坚称自己的行为公正且符合美国的最大利益。支持者认为，史密斯的调查是必要的，因为这些指控涉及宪政政府核心的行为，包括推翻2020年大选和阻碍权力合法移交的努力，以及保留和涉嫌隐瞒唐纳德·特朗普总统的高度机密文件。y PLLC周三。
While Republicans have characterized Smith’s investigation as a political witch hunt, he maintains that he acted impartially and in the best interests of the United States. Proponents argue that Smith’s investigation was necessary because the allegations involved conduct at the core of constitutional government, including efforts to overturn the 2020 election and obstruct the lawful transfer of power, as well as the retention and alleged concealment of highly classified documents on part of President Donald Trump. y PLLC on Wednesday.