‘Pathetically transparent tirade’: Trump asks Cannon to block release of special counsel report as lawyers call Smith a ‘rogue actor’ with a ‘vendetta’

Left: FILE - Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File). Center: U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida). Right: Donald Trump speaks to members of the media before departing Manhattan criminal court, Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, Pool).

Left: FILE – Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File). Center: U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida). Right: Donald Trump speaks to members of the media before departing Manhattan criminal court, Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, Pool).

The Department of Justice is urging U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to reject a request from two longtime Donald Trump associates seeking to prevent the limited release of the second volume of former special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on his investigations into the president-elect.

Smith’s final report comprises two volumes. The first, which was publicly released early Tuesday, relates to his investigation and prosecution of Trump in connection with his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election. The second deals with Trump allegedly mishandling classified documents and is still under an order from Cannon preventing its release to certain members of Congress.

While the cases against Trump have been dismissed due to long-standing DOJ policy against indicting and prosecuting a sitting president, that is not so for his co-defendants in the classified documents case, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira.

Cannon controversially dismissed the classified documents case, reasoning that Smith’s appointment as special counsel was unlawful. However, the duo remain in legal jeopardy while a federal appeals court in Atlanta reviews Cannon’s ruling.

Nauta and De Oliveira have been imploring the courts to prohibit the Justice Department from allowing the second volume of Smith’s report to be viewed in chambers “by the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees upon their request and agreement not to release any information from Volume Two publicly.” The duo have argued that releasing Smith’s report, even in such a limited fashion, would unconstitutionally prejudice their due process rights.

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