OAN’s Abril Elfi
4:19 PM – Monday, August 7, 2023
A federal judge dealt multiple setbacks to Special Counsel Jack Smith amid Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents case.
Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon rejected the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request for confidential files stemming from a Miami grand jury’s Trump indictment in June.
Cannon also questioned prosecutors about their continuous use of an out-of-state grand jury to look into the case.
“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 wrote in the brief.
“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.”
The filing came amid Smith’s request for a hearing to examine defense attorney Stanley Woodward’s potential conflicts of interest.
Woodward, who represents Walt Nauta, an aide to former President Donald Trump, was listed as a co-defendant in the case and was given until August 17th to submit a response to the application for a hearing.
The prosecutor deadline for filing a brief in support of the hearing was August 22nd.
The 37 accusations against Trump include “making false statements,” “conspiring to obstruct justice,” and “deliberate retention of national defense information.” He entered a not-guilty plea to the accusations.
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