Court records or official Department of Justice announcements

House Democrats Urge Garland to Release Trump Classified Documents Report, Suggest Dismissing Charges Against Nauta and De Oliveira

Jan 16, 2025, 12:00 PM

House Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to release the second volume of special counsel Jack Smith's report on President-elect Donald Trump's handling of classified documents. The Democrats, led by Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, have suggested that Garland should consider dismissing the remaining charges against Trump's former co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, to facilitate the release of the report. The report's second volume is currently withheld due to ongoing legal proceedings against Nauta and De Oliveira, who were charged with obstructing the investigation into Trump's retention of classified materials at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Garland has previously stated that he would not release the second volume while these charges are pending. The Democrats argue that the public interest in transparency and accountability outweighs the concerns about dismissing the charges, especially given indications that Trump may end the prosecutions upon taking office.