• Jack Smith has resigned from the Justice Department shortly after submitting his investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump.
• The resignation occurred just 10 days before Trump's inauguration and follows two withdrawn criminal prosecutions against him.
• Legal debates continue regarding the public release of Smith's two-volume report on Trump's actions around the 2020 election and classified documents.
• The Justice Department intends to release the election interference volume, while a judge has temporarily stopped the release of the classified documents volume.
• The case is still being reviewed by an appeals court, which has not yet resolved all issues regarding the report.

WASHINGTON — Special counsel Jack Smith has officially resigned from the Justice Department after the submission of his investigative report concerning President-elect Donald Trump. This resignation came at a pivotal moment, merely ten days before Trump's inauguration, and follows two unsuccessful criminal prosecutions that were dismissed after Trump's significant electoral victory in November.

The Justice Department's announcement of Smith's resignation was made public through a court filing, highlighting ongoing disputes regarding the vast two-volume report detailing investigations into Trump's attempts to challenge the 2020 election results and his alleged retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The document's public disclosure was anticipated prior to the change of administration, however, a judge appointed during Trump's tenure temporarily halted the release following requests from defense attorneys representing co-defendants in the classified documents case.

Specifically, Trump's valet, Walt Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, argued that unveiling the report would pose an unfair prejudice against their ongoing legal situations, a claim echoed by Trump's legal team. In response, the Justice Department indicated intentions to withhold the classified documents volume due to the pending criminal proceedings.

Despite these restrictions, prosecutors have expressed a determination to proceed with the release of the election interference volume. In a series of legal maneuvers, they filed an emergency motion to lift a prior injunction barring any report release, asserting that the intervention by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon was erroneous and outside her purview. The Appeals Court recently rejected a defense request to block the release of findings related to Trump's efforts before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot while maintaining the judge’s restriction on immediate disclosure.

The Justice Department has emphasized that regulations mandate the completion of reports by special counsels and highlight the customary expectation for public dissemination of such documents. Historical precedents set by previous administrations affirm this practice, as seen with reports released by attorneys general William Barr and Merrick Garland regarding various inquiries and investigations.

While this situation continues to unfold, Smith's resignation marks a significant moment in the ongoing saga surrounding Trump and the investigation of his administration's actions. For more details, refer to the original articles from NPR and Time.