Lineberger News & Analysis

DOJ Charges Ex-Prosecutor in Trump Documents Case for Theft

A former federal prosecutor, Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, has been charged with theft in connection with the case against former President Donald Trump over classified documents. Lineberger allegedly saved the sealed report from special counsel Jack Smith on her personal device and emailed it to her Gmail account in December 2025. The indictment included four counts related to the removal and alteration of public records. In January 2025, Judge Aileen Cannon prohibited the DOJ from disclosing Volume II of Smith's report, which pertains to Trump's case that was dismissed in July 2024. The DOJ's decision to drop further appeals came after Trump was re-elected in November 2024.