After years of relentless pursuit to take down President Trump, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s work is unraveling in spectacular fashion. In what can only be described as a final humiliation, Florida U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has ruled that Smith cannot present his findings in the classified documents case to Congress, effectively shutting down his last-ditch attempt to weaponize the legal system against Trump.
Judge Cannon’s ruling, issued Tuesday, prevents the Department of Justice from sending Smith’s report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. In her decision, she emphasized the lack of urgency and questioned why such a disclosure was necessary now that Trump has been elected and holds the power to dismiss his own federal cases.
“Given the very strong public interest in this criminal proceeding and the absence of any enforceable limits on the proposed disclosure, there is certainly a reasonable likelihood that review by members of Congress as proposed will result in public dissemination of all or part of Volume II,” Cannon wrote. Translation: this was nothing more than a political stunt aimed at smearing Trump before he takes office.
Smith had already released his first report on the election interference case, which turned out to be a big nothing-burger filled with public information and tired talking points. However, Volume II—focused on the classified documents case—was expected to contain a “detailed and voluminous” collection of accusations and innuendos that Smith hoped would continue tarnishing Trump’s name. Judge Cannon wasn’t having it.
Adding insult to injury, Cannon slammed former Attorney General Merrick Garland for attempting to rush the report’s release under the guise of “historical practice.” In a brutal takedown, she noted, “There is no ‘historical practice’ of providing Special Counsel reports to Congress, even on a limited basis, pending conclusion of criminal proceedings.” In other words, Garland and Smith were making up the rules as they went—something Trump and his supporters have been saying all along.
Cannon further questioned the DOJ’s motives, stating that there was “no indication of pending legislative activity that could be aided” by the report, highlighting that this move was purely political theater.
This ruling is yet another victory for Trump, who has long maintained that the classified documents case was a witch hunt orchestrated by his political enemies. With the case already dismissed last year due to Smith’s improper appointment, this ruling ensures that the Democrats’ last-ditch efforts to vilify Trump before his inauguration have been thoroughly squashed.
Jack Smith and the DOJ bet big on taking down Trump—and they lost. Again.