The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday that Attorney General Merrick Garland may release one volume of Jack Smith’s special counsel report, which covers the 2020 election case against former President Donald Trump. The decision allows Garland to make the report public once Judge Aileen Cannon’s temporary block expires, likely by Sunday. Trump’s co-defendants in the classified documents case, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, had requested an emergency injunction to prevent the release of the full report, arguing that it would prejudice their ongoing legal cases.
Garland has expressed his intention to release the portion of the report related to the 2020 election but will keep the volume regarding the classified documents case confidential, providing it only to top members of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees. Trump has submitted an amicus brief supporting his co-defendants, asserting that Smith’s report is invalid due to a previous ruling by Cannon, who questioned the legality of Smith’s appointment as special counsel.
Trump’s legal team criticized the report, calling it politically motivated and potentially harmful to Trump’s public image. They argued that its release would fuel unfair media criticism during Trump’s transition to the White House. They also emphasized that Cannon had earlier dismissed charges against Trump, claiming Smith’s appointment violated the Constitution.
In response to the court’s ruling, Trump’s spokesperson called for Garland to stop what he described as the political weaponization of the justice system, asserting that the release of the report would be a politically motivated action designed to harm Trump.