A judge’s order may soon allow the public to see Jack Smith’s report on Trump’s election interference
Washington: So, there’s been some movement on the Trump election interference case. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon just issued an order that might let the Justice Department share Jack Smith’s final report with the public. But hold on, there’s still some back-and-forth with appeals courts that could delay things.
This order also sets up a briefing schedule for this week, plus a hearing on Friday about whether some classified documents can be shared with Congress. The DOJ had previously said they wouldn’t release those documents while the case against Trump’s former associates was still in play.
Last year, Cannon dismissed the case against Trump and his co-defendants, but the government is appealing that decision. After Trump won the election, Smith dropped the appeal against him, following the DOJ’s policy about not prosecuting sitting presidents. Now, other lawyers are taking over the case since Smith has left the DOJ.
The defense has been trying to block the report’s release, but the appeals court shot down their motion last week. They did keep a temporary hold on the report until Tuesday, which means the DOJ could still appeal that decision. The circuit court could make a ruling that changes everything.
DOJ lawyers argued that Cannon’s injunction is overstepping her authority. They’re saying it interferes with the Attorney General’s ability to manage the DOJ’s affairs.
Things could get even more complicated with Trump’s upcoming inauguration. If he takes office, the DOJ might drop its appeal against his co-defendants, which could change the whole situation regarding the report’s release.
Smith also moved to dismiss the election interference case after the election, since Trump was the only one charged. So, releasing that report doesn’t have the same issues as the classified documents case.
Just last Friday, Trump was sentenced in a New York state court for one of his criminal cases, which is the only one that actually went to trial.
For more updates on legal matters, you might want to check out the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert insights on the latest legal news, including Trump’s ongoing cases.
