On Tuesday, Donald Trump announced that he’s received a “target letter” in special counsel Jack Smith’s federal investigation of efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The letter is a formal step that offers a prospective defendant a chance to testify to a grand jury, and it suggests that Trump might be indicted soon for any number of crimes related to his 2020 loss. (Among them: Pressuring state officials and Vice President Mike Pence not to certify valid election results, organizing slates of “alternate”—i.e., fake—electors, and urging armed supporters to march on the Capitol on Jan. 6. Trump is not expected to take the opportunity to testify to the grand jury.)
The New York Times’ sources say an indictment is not anticipated this week, however, and in the meantime, there are thousands of cubic acres of cable news airspace to be filled with reports like this one from CNN, titled “See moment prosecutor Jack Smith was spotted outside sandwich shop.” Chief national correspondent John King delivered this follow-up analysis:
“Jack Smith going to Subway today is a message to Donald Trump”
— Vince Coglianese (@VinceCoglianese) July 18, 2023
Nobody on this 40 person CNN panel interrupted to say “maybe he was just buying lunch”pic.twitter.com/GY3iOQ3W0L
“Jack Smith going to Subway today is a message to Donald Trump.” Is it, though? (NB: Subway discontinued the $5 footlong promotion at a national level in 2018. The least expensive sandwich listed on DoorDash at the Washington K Street location pictured in the video, which is admittedly closer to CNN’s studio than to Smith’s Department of Justice office, is $6.39.)
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