WASHINGTON – Special Counsel Jack Smith has handed over his completed final report on two investigations that resulted in felonies against President-elect Donald Trump to Attorney General Merrick Garland, who plans to release portions of it publicly. announced the Ministry of Justice. Submit on Wednesday.
The filing was made by the Justice Department separately from Smith’s office and temporarily blocked the release of a report on Trump’s handling of classified documents by U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon, a Trump appointee. It was done after. Cannon is the Florida judge who dismissed the charges against Trump, upholding the argument that Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.
But the Justice Department said Wednesday that Garland only intends to release to Congress the first volume of his report, which focuses on President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and that the release of the report would require “an injunction.” There is no gender or legal basis for this.” “To further the public interest by informing our peer branches and the public about this important issue.” Garland, however, said Trump’s co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira We do not intend to release Volume 2 of the report as long as the lawsuit against us is pending.
“For the time being, Volume 2 will be available for in-camera viewing only to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, upon request and agreement not to publicly release information in Volume 2. ” Justice Department lawyers wrote. . “This limited disclosure will further the public interest in keeping Congressional leadership informed of important issues within the department while protecting the interests of defendants.”
Lawyers for the Justice Department told a federal appeals court that the volume of the report on President Trump’s classified documents case and the release of the report on Trump’s election “could impede the attorney general’s ability to grant limited Congressional review.” “Please make it clear that there is no such thing.” case of interference.
The Justice Department is also asking the 11th Circuit to vacate Cannon’s preliminary injunction, which would prevent the publication of any portion of the report for three days after the circuit’s decision. The three-day grace period would theoretically give President Trump time to seek Supreme Court intervention to block the release of the first volume of the report. If the circuit court grants the Justice Department’s request and overturns Cannon’s order, the first volume could be released at any time thereafter.
Cannon has been criticized for repeatedly siding with Trump in the case, including his decision to drop charges against him. Some of those decisions, such as her response to the search of her Florida home, were overturned after criticism that she acted without legal basis.
