Judge Overseeing Trump Document Case Rips Special Counsel Over ‘secret’ Grand Jury Filing; Judge Skeptical of Constitutionality of Grand Jury in Trump Classified Documents Case in Florida; Judge in Trump Documents Case Strikes Justice DOJ’s Filings and Questions ‘out-of-district’ Grand Jury
Judge overseeing Trump document case rips special counsel over ‘secret’ grand jury filing:
The Florida federal judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case blasted prosecutors on Monday for trying to secretly introduce grand jury evidence from another jurisdiction.
US District Judge Aileen Cannon denied special counsel Jack Smith’s request to file under seal additional grand jury information from the District of Columbia, court filings show.
Cannon said there was not “sufficient legal or factual basis to warrant” the “secrecy” — and ordered a clerk to remove both of Smith’s filings from the South Florida docket.
Cannon also asked Trump’s legal team to respond to allegations from those grand jury proceedings that attorney Stanley Woodward — representing Trump valet Waltine Nauta — has conflicts of interest in the documents case, since three of his clients may be called to testify as government witnesses.
The potential witnesses include Mar-a-Lago IT director Yuscil Taveras and two others who worked in the Trump White House and followed the 45th president to Florida, filings show.
“All three of these witnesses may be witnesses for the Government at trial, raising the possibility that Mr. Woodward might be in the position of cross-examining past or current clients,” prosecutors said. —>READ MORE HERE
Judge skeptical of constitutionality of grand jury in Trump classified documents case in Florida: b=””>
A federal judge pressed special counsel Jack Smith on Monday to explain why he used a D.C. grand jury to investigate the Florida-based case against former President Donald Trump for mishandling of classified documents
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon is based in South Florida, where Mr. Smith filed an indictment against the former president and where the trial is expected. But the charges were brought based on the recommendation of a grand jury in Washington, causing Judge Cannon to question whether the move was constitutional.
In a brief order, Judge Cannon ordered prosecutors to “address the legal propriety of using an out-of-district grand jury proceeding to continue to investigate and/or seek post-indictment hearings on matters pertinent to the instant indicted matter in this district.”
Judge Cannon’s order was in response to the special counsel’s request for a hearing to examine a potential conflict of interest for an attorney for Walter Nauta, a Trump aide who has also been charged in the case.
Mr. Smith’s team must reply by Aug. 22.
Through a Washington-based grand jury, Mr. Smith has filed criminal charges against Mr. Trump, Mr. Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, an employee at Mar-a-Lago, in Florida. —>READ MORE HERE
Follow link below to a relevant story:
If you like what you see, please “Like” and/or Follow us on FACEBOOK here, GETTR here, and TWITTER here.
Comments are closed.