WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled Monday that the Justice Department can make public special counsel Jack Smith’s investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 election. The decision comes amidst a legal battle over the release of the report just days before Trump is scheduled to take office once again.
While the judge’s ruling paves the way for the report’s disclosure, a temporary injunction preventing its immediate release remains in place until Tuesday. It is expected that defense attorneys may challenge the decision, potentially escalating the matter to the Supreme Court.
The judge, Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, had previously blocked the full release of the report on Smith’s investigations into Trump’s actions that resulted in criminal charges. However, her latest ruling allows the disclosure of the volume specifically addressing Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the election results.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday to determine if lawmakers can access the section of the report related to Trump’s handling of classified documents post-presidency. The Justice Department has indicated it will not disclose this portion while legal proceedings involving two of Trump’s associates are ongoing.
The report’s release could shed light on Trump’s attempts to retain power leading up to the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Despite permitting the disclosure of the election interference segment, the judge has restricted the immediate sharing of another section concerning Trump’s handling of classified information at Mar-a-Lago.
Lawyers for Trump’s associates have raised concerns that releasing the report could bias ongoing criminal cases against them. As a compromise, the Justice Department has agreed not to publish the document publicly and instead share it with select congressional officials for private review. However, the judge has temporarily halted this arrangement pending further legal deliberations.
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