On November 13, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump and his former co-defendants initiated an effort to prevent Special Counsel Jack Smith from releasing a final report concerning both the classified documents case and the election interference case, both of which have been dismissed by a judge. Lawyers for co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira filed a motion, claiming that Smith’s report would be one-sided and primarily based on grand jury evidence obtained through an “unconstitutional appointment.” They urged U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to halt the release and rule on their motion by Friday, asserting the report’s imminent release. Trump’s legal team also reached out to Attorney General Merrick Garland, accusing Smith of acting unlawfully and politically targeting Trump. They requested Smith’s removal or deferral of the report’s handling to Trump’s incoming attorney general. Trump was charged in 2023 with mishandling classified documents post-presidency, but the case was dismissed due to Smith’s alleged unconstitutional appointment. Following the dismissal, Smith sought to close the parallel election interference case. Federal prosecutors continue to appeal the dismissal of charges against Nauta and De Oliveira, while Smith’s team plans to resign before Trump’s inauguration.
