By ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the public release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on the 2020 election interference case against Donald Trump over the objections of the president-elect.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday turned down a challenge from Trump and his co-defendants in his classified documents case, who are seeking to block the release of the report.
The report will not immediately be released. A lower court ruling from Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon temporarily blocking the release of the report remains in place for three days. And there could be more appeals.
The Justice Department said Wednesday that it plans to release the volume detailing Smith’s findings on Trump’s efforts to undo his 2020 election loss, but will keep under wraps for now the section on Trump’s classified documents case while legal proceedings against his co-defendants are ongoing.