Just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term as President, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon made a big decision. She ruled that the Department of Justice (DOJ) couldn’t share a key part of a report with certain members of Congress. This report, written by former special counsel Jack Smith, dives into allegations of Trump’s misconduct after his first term.
The report has two sections. The first, released recently, focuses on Smith’s investigation into Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. The second part, however, deals with claims that Trump mishandled classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. Judge Cannon has now blocked the DOJ from sharing this second section with leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
According to media reports, the DOJ decided not to charge Trump during his presidency due to their policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. However, this policy doesn’t cover Trump’s co-defendants in the Mar-a-Lago case, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira. These two have been pushing hard for the report to stay under wraps, arguing that even if their cases are dropped, the report could harm their reputations.
In a 14-page ruling, Judge Cannon criticized the DOJ’s reasoning for wanting to share the report, particularly noting Attorney General Merrick Garland’s claim that he had “limited time” in his role and wanted to finalize the investigation. Cannon stated that there’s no history of releasing such reports to Congress during ongoing criminal proceedings and accused the DOJ of misleading the court about similar cases in the past.
Cannon said the DOJ didn’t provide a valid reason for the urgency. She also dismissed the idea that showing the report privately to lawmakers would keep its contents safe, arguing it could still harm the co-defendants’ rights. According to her, the DOJ’s push was based more on personal wishes than any legal or historical precedent.
In her decision, Cannon referred to the DOJ’s efforts as a “gamble” with the rights of Nauta and De Oliveira. She made it clear that her priority was protecting their due process rights and the fairness of the ongoing proceedings.
This isn’t the first time Judge Cannon has made headlines in the classified documents case. Last year, she dismissed the case, saying that Smith’s appointment as special counsel wasn’t lawful. While the DOJ appealed her ruling, many expected it to be overturned. However, with Trump back in office, it’s likely the DOJ will drop efforts to revive the cases against Nauta and De Oliveira.
For now, Judge Cannon’s order remains in place, and the second volume of Smith’s report won’t be shared until all appeals are fully resolved. This ruling is yet another chapter in the ongoing legal and political battles surrounding Trump’s presidency and his handling of sensitive government documents.
