U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida, Aileen Cannon, issued an order Monday pressing the Department of Justice (DOJ) about its conduct in former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case.
Cannon ordered DOJ special counsel Jack Smith to unseal two filings and give a legal explanation as to why a Washington, D.C. grand jury is investigating matters related to the classified documents case. (RELATED: Trump Scheduled For Second Arraignment Date On Classified Docs)
“The Special Counsel states in conclusory terms that the supplement should be sealed from public view ‘to comport with grand jury secrecy,’ but the motion for leave and the supplement plainly fail to satisfy the burden of establishing a sufficient legal or factual basis to warrant sealing the motion and supplement,” Cannon’s order reads.
READ THE FULL ORDER:
“Among other topics as raised in the Motion, the response shall address the legal propriety of using an out-of-district grand jury proceeding to continue to investigate and/or to seek post-indictment hearings on matters pertinent to the instant indicted matter in this district,” Cannon’s order adds.
Judge Cannon was responding to the special counsel’s motion for a “Garcia” hearing, where the special counsel addressed a potential conflict of interest caused by attorney Stanley Woodward representing defendant Walt Nauta and individuals who could be called to testify in the classified documents case.
Trump and Nauta are scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 10 for the classified documents case. Smith issued a superseding indictment July 27 with additional charges for Trump and new charges for Mar-a-Lago employee Carlos De Oliveira who allegedly moved boxes around Trump’s Florida estate.
Smith indicted Trump Tuesday for allegedly contesting the 2020 presidential election results and for his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. The former president pleaded not guilty at an arraignment in Washington, D.C. Thursday and accused Smith of “persecution” for his latest charges.