WASHINGTON—Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) is advocating for the release of special counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents report before President-elect Donald Trump’s administration can potentially dismiss or bury the case.
Raskin expressed concern that Trump’s incoming Justice Department could undermine ongoing investigations into his aides Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, who are implicated in the classified documents case.
“Donald Trump will likely have his Justice Department ‘dismiss’ the case against his aides or pardon them,” Raskin said. He suggested a preemptive move might be necessary: “If we think that the existence of these two cases is an impediment to releasing the report, then dismiss the two cases.”
Special counsel Jack Smith submitted his final report to Attorney General Merrick Garland before leaving office, but the Florida case remains unresolved. The dismissal by Judge Aileen Cannon is currently under appeal at the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Raskin warned that Trump could direct his DOJ to destroy all documents related to the investigation, reported MSNBC News.
“Those two cases are tangential and peripheral to the central matter of a president who pilfered classified government documents for some purpose still unknown to the public,” Raskin explained, emphasizing the urgency of transparency.
Raskin stressed the broader implications of the report, stating, “Knowing what happened is a matter of national importance.” He downplayed the importance of the cases against Nauta and de Oliveira, describing them as “trivial to a presidential crime like that” and argued that they should not impede the release of the report.
The Maryland congressman highlighted two paths to making the report public: Garland dismissing the case or President Joe Biden using executive authority to release it. Several Democratic lawmakers have voiced support for Biden taking such action.
“In a democracy, Americans have the right to information about our public officials and what they’re doing,” Raskin asserted. “People have a right to know about this seriously compromising situation involving classified documents.”
As Trump prepares to take office, the fight over transparency in the classified documents case could become a critical flashpoint, with Raskin and other Democrats pushing for accountability while navigating the potential challenges posed by Trump’s incoming administration.