Judge Cannon nudged to rule on lingering Mar-a-Lago issue
Share this @internewscast.com

Left: Judge Aileen Cannon (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida); Right: special counsel Jack Smith (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

A second nonprofit group is pushing for the public release of special counsel Jack Smith’s complete report on the Mar-a-Lago investigation concerning President Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents after his first presidential term. They have called on U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to make a decision on their appeal to intervene and overturn an injunction she imposed 171 days ago. This order is currently being leveraged by the DOJ to counter a lawsuit from the New York Times.

Judge Cannon’s injunction on January 21, which prevented the release of Smith’s Mar-a-Lago report, highlighted that Trump valet Waltine Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira had an ongoing appeal in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Therefore, they “retain — as all parties agree — due process rights to a fair trial that would be jeopardized by public dissemination of Volume II.”

“In short, the Department offers no valid justification for the purportedly urgent desire to release to members of Congress case information in an ongoing criminal proceeding,” wrote Cannon, the judge who dismissed the president’s Espionage Act case and invalidated Smith’s appointment as special counsel last July. “Meanwhile, on the other side of the balance, there are two individuals in this action, each with constitutional rights to a fair trial, who remain subject to a live criminal appeal of this Court’s Order Dismissing the Superseding Indictment.”

At the time of the injunction, the judge noted, the freshly installed Trump administration DOJ had yet to toss the cases against Trump’s now former co-defendants.

“The Department has not sought leave to dismiss that appeal, initiated by the Special Counsel, and there has been no indication by any government official in this case that the Department will not proceed on the Superseding Indictment should it prevail in the Eleventh Circuit or in subsequent proceedings,” Cannon continued.

Just eight days later, however, the DOJ, Nauta, and de Oliveira each agreed to dismiss the appeal, and charges were dropped. The 11th Circuit accordingly responded by jettisoning the case on Feb. 11, 150 days ago.

Nonprofit watchdog American Oversight is now notifying Cannon that it’s also been 90 days since it submitted its last reply in support of intervening and lifting the injunction. The filing came Thursday, three days after fellow would-be intervenor Knight First Amendment Institute likewise nudged Cannon to rule, as if to ask: What’s the holdup?

“To date, there has not been a ruling on American Oversight’s Motion to Intervene, and 90 days have elapsed since American Oversight filed its Reply,” American Oversight’s notice said. “American Oversight respectfully notifies the Court that its Motion to Intervene is ripe for adjudication.”

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox

In an April motion to intervene, American Oversight argued that the Cannon’s injunction “obstructs” the group from “exercising its federal rights” to request Volume II under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

“The Order was entered to protect the rights of individuals who were then facing a live criminal appeal and possible trial; they no longer face either,” the motion said, referring to Nauta and de Oliveira.

In March, the DOJ answered that the proposed interventions of the Knight Institute and American Oversight should be rejected and that the injunction should stay in place.

But even if Cannon were “inclined to lift” the injunction, she shouldn’t release the full version of Smith’s report because that decision is ultimately up to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, said the government.

“The United States respectfully submits that the Court should deny the motions to intervene filed by American Oversight and Knight Institute in this closed criminal case. First, neither American Oversight nor Knight Institute has shown that this case fits within the narrow class of circumstances in which courts have previously allowed third parties to intervene in criminal cases,” the DOJ asserted. “This Court should not expand that class.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Chilling Plot Unveiled: The Farm Ambush – How a Brutal Assault Led to a Deadly Retribution

Background: The area near the Wind River Reservation in Riverton, Wyo. (Google…

Authorities Report Mother Responsible for Newborn Found Deceased in Pond

Background: Pine Island Pond in Manchester, New Hampshire (WMUR-TV/YouTube). Inset: Hepay Juma…

Long Island Man Sentenced for Gruesome 6-Hour Torture Leading to Friend’s Death

A Long Island resident, Jeremy Allen, received a life sentence without the…

Teen’s Target Trip with Friend Escalates to Unbelievable Family Feud: Police Report Details

Background: A Target store location in Homestead, Fla. (Google Maps). Inset: Martha…

Tragic Incident: Son Allegedly Attacks Mother During School Dispute, Resulting in Her Death

Inset: Antony Ton Le being arrested in Washington state (KOMO). The building…

Tragic Carjacking at Burger King: Kids Thrown from SUV as Mom Retrieves Missing Fries

Insets (clockwise from top left): Alexis Kearney and Antonio Alexander (Shelby County…

Teen Accomplice Learns Fate After Fatal Mall Stabbing in Defense of Girlfriend

Bobby Maher appears inset near an image of the area where he…

Shocking Overdose: Toddler Hospitalized After Meth-Laced Sippy Cup Incident – 4 Arrests Made

Inset, clockwise from top left: Hayden Simmons, Damien Windham, Erica Foley, and…

Authorities Charge Two Individuals Amidst Ongoing Investigation into Sydney’s ‘Coconut Cartel

Two men have been charged as a police strike force works to…

Hit-and-Run Tragedy: Woman Strikes Cyclist, Inspects Truck, Then Heads to Taco Bell

Inset: Andrea Tanner (Smith County Jail). Background: The Taco Bell near where…

Jealous Ex Attacks Woman’s Car and Fires Shots at Former Partner, Police Report

Inset: Ateariny Boyd (Shelby County Jail). Background: The residential street where Boyd…

Children Forgive But Remember: Heartfelt Message to Father Convicted of Murder

Lise Muliaga’s five children faced unimaginable turmoil following her untimely demise. Their…