A federal judge on Tuesday reportedly blocked the Justice Department from releasing special counsel Jack Smith’s report on his investigation into Donald Trump, while a New York appeals court denied the president-elect’s separate request to postpone his upcoming criminal sentencing for concealing hush money paid to an adult-film star.
In the Smith case, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida issued an order prohibiting the Justice Department from disseminating information or conclusions from the special counsel’s final report in any way while an appeals court reviews the case.
Smith’s prosecution of the former president on charges that he mishandled confidential documents after leaving office was already dismissed by Cannon, a Trump appointee. Smith had been contesting that decision and bringing separate charges against Trump in Washington for allegedly illegally meddling in the 2020 election.
Following Trump’s victory in November, the special counsel abandoned both initiatives due to the Justice Department’s policy of bringing charges against a sitting president.
A hearing on whether Trump’s hush-money punishment, scheduled for Friday, could proceed was held Tuesday afternoon in New York by Justice Ellen Gesmer.
She denied Trump’s request to halt the proceedings on the grounds of presidential immunity in a one-sentence order shortly after the hearing ended.
Prosecutors and courts are rushing to complete their historic charges against Trump before Inauguration Day, which is why the processes are going quickly.
Smith was finishing up a report on his investigation in the federal proceedings, which he must turn in to Attorney General Merrick Garland in accordance with Justice Department rules.
Furthermore, Garland had already said he would make it public.
Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, Trump’s co-defendants in the papers case, have been attempting to prevent the report’s publication.
In a letter to Garland on Monday, Trump’s attorneys referred to the allegation as a political ploy.
They demanded that Smith be removed from his position as special counsel by Garland. Lawyers Trump has selected for senior positions at the Justice Department, including Blanche, his deputy attorney general pick, were among those who signed the letter.
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