Sunday shows preview: Special counsel appointed in Trump probes; Pelosi to step down

The appointment of a special counsel to oversee the Justice Department’s investigations into former President Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (Calif.) decision to step down from Democratic leadership will likely dominate this week’s Sunday shows circuit.

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Friday that he was appointing longtime prosecutor Jack Smith as special counsel to lead two of the Justice Department’s investigations — one into the former president’s potential mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and another into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

The appointment came just days after Trump officially announced his 2024 presidential campaign, setting himself up for a potential rematch with President Biden. Garland pointed to this dynamic in justifying Smith’s appointment. 

“Based on recent developments, including the former president’s announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election and the sitting president’s stated intention to be a candidate as well, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint a special counsel,” Garland said on Friday.

Former Vice President Mike Pence — who is set to appear on both NBC’s “Meet the Press” and CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday — described Garland’s appointment of a special counsel as “very troubling” in an interview with Fox News Digital on Friday.

“No one is above the law, but I am not sure it’s against the law to take bad advice from your lawyers,” Pence told Fox News.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, is set to discuss Smith’s appointment as special counsel as well as the Jan. 6 committee’s future with ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Schiff’s fellow Jan. 6 committee members, will also make appearances this weekend on CBS’s “Face the Nation” and CNN’s “State of the Union,” respectively.

Although the committee worked separately from the Justice Department on its investigation into the Jan. 6 riot, it has previously suggested that it may make criminal referrals to the department. As the committee is set to sunset with the start of the new Congress, it recently established a subcommittee to craft the potential referrals and examine any “outstanding issues.”

Pelosi’s decision to step down from Democratic leadership in the House will likely also be a topic of discussion on the Sunday talk shows.

The 82-year-old congresswoman announced on Thursday that she would be stepping down as House Democratic leader after two decades leading the caucus. Her announcement was quickly followed by that of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who said he too would step down from leadership.

Pelosi’s decision cleared the way for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) to announce his bid for House Democratic Leader on Friday. Jeffries, who is set to appear on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, has long been eyeing the position.

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows: 

ABC’s “This Week” — Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.); Paul Ryan, former Republican Speaker of the House

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Former Vice President Mike Pence

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Pence; Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.); Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), mayor-elect of Los Angeles

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.)

“Fox News Sunday” — Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)

Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.); Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.); Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.); Brian Costello, technology executive and entrepreneur; retired U.S. Army Col. Derek Harvey; Rep.-elect Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas); Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)