A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the release of special counsel Jack Smith's final report on the dueling criminal case against President-elect Donald Trump.
In an unsigned order, U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon barred Attorney General Merrick Garland, Attorney General Smith or Justice Department officials from releasing comprehensive details about Trump's prosecution.
The order will remain in effect until three days after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rules on whether Smith's appointment as special prosecutor is unconstitutional.
Two years ago, Smith unsealed two indictments against the former president. The first case was in June 2023 in south Florida, where he was charged with storing classified documents after leaving office. Second, in August 2023 in Washington, D.C., for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election.
Before last year's election, Mr. Cannon dismissed Mr. Smith's classified documents lawsuit, ruling that Mr. Smith was wrongfully appointed by Mr. Garland without Congressional approval.
But two co-defendants, Walt Nauta, the president-elect's valet, and Carlos de Oliveira, an employee at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, remain in the proceedings.
Their lawyers filed an emergency appeal with a federal appeals court to prevent Smith from submitting the report and Garland from making it public.
“It's time for Joe Biden and Merrick Garland to do the right thing and put a final stop to the political weaponization of our justice system,” President Trump's press secretary Stephen Chan said Tuesday. said.
“The American people elected President Trump with a historic and overwhelming mandate. We look forward to uniting the nation in a new administration as President Trump Makes America Great Again. .”
Ms. Cannon said her orders were “[t]o In order to prevent irreparable harm arising from the situation described in the current record in this emergency situation and to allow for an orderly and deliberative course of events, this Court would like to Maintains the status quo pending resolution by the circuit. ”
She also directed that a copy be sent to Smith, Garland, United States Attorney for the Southern District.
Markenzie Lapointe, Florida and Clerk of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
