OAN Staff James Meyers
11:38 AM – Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Attorney General Merrick Garland will reportedly release Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on the 2020 election interference against President-elect Donald Trump, according to a court filing.
The Department of Justice told the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Wednesday that Garland intends to release Volume One of Smith’s final report to Congress and the public, which also covers allegations revolving around how Trump allegedly attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
However, the AG will not release Volume Two, which covers the classified documents case against Trump, while two defendants in that case are still facing criminal proceedings.
The chairman and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees will be permitted to view Volume Two, but they will be prohibited from discussing the report publicly.
“This limited disclosure will further the public interest in keeping congressional leadership apprised of a significant matter within the Department while safeguarding defendants’ interests,” Justice Department attorneys said in response to a motion to stop the report from being released.
It is typically customary for special counsels to release a final report, detailing the findings of their investigation while explaining any prosecution or declination decisions they reached.
Additionally, Smith had planned to release his final report sometime this month, as early as the end of this week. He will also resign from his position sometime before Trump takes office on January 20th.
Trump’s team first went to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who agreed to block the release of the whole report on Tuesday without waiting for a promised filing by Smith’s team.
Cannon noted that Smith is “temporarily enjoined” from “releasing, sharing, or transmitting the Final Report or any drafts of such Report outside the Department of Justice.”
Meanwhile, the order remains in effect until three days after the resolution is announced from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
Smith was selected by Garland in 2022 to investigate both the alleged effort by Trump to overturn the election, as well as Trump’s alleged withholding of classified documents at his Florida residence.
Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Last summer, Cannon dismissed the Smith case relating to classified records, ruling that he was appointed unlawful as special counsel. Smith later dropped his appeal to Cannon’s ruling in the classified records case as well. Additionally, in November, federal Judge Tanya Chutkan dropped Smith’s charges against Trump in the 2020 election interference case.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
