Judge Chutkan will likely release Jack Smith’s secret file on Donald Trump

The judge in Donald Trump’s alleged election fraud case will likely allow prosecutors to make their evidence public next month.

On Friday, Washington DC Judge Tanya Chutkan laid out a detailed schedule for the release, including giving Trump the opportunity to raise any objections.

She was responding to a comment from prosecutor Jack Smith, who wrote that the October release would contain “quotes or summaries of information” from sensitive sources, such as “grand jury transcripts, interview records, or materials obtained through sealed search warrants,” while citing some edited documents. information, such as the names of witnesses who could be ‘intimidated and threatened’ by Trump supporters.

Smith wants their names kept secret because any intimidation could have a “chilling effect” on their testimony, according to his filing.

Trump is accused of conspiring to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights in connection with an alleged pressure campaign against former Vice President Mike Pence and state officials to overturn the 2020 election results.

Trump has denied all charges against him and repeatedly said he is the victim of a political witch hunt. He has accused Smith of trying to interfere in the 2024 presidential election by prosecuting him.

Newsweek emailed the Trump campaign Monday for comment.

Judge Chutkan’s decision came after Smith filed a sealed 180-page brief Thursday outlining the government’s evidence against Donald Trump. On Friday, he filed a motion to publicly release the evidence.

The 180-page dossier will detail what evidence prosecutors have against Trump and also includes an appendix with more information.

The evidence has been reframed in light of the Supreme Court’s July 1 presidential immunity ruling, which gave Trump broad protection from prosecution.

It is unusual for prosecutors to release their evidence before trial, but the Supreme Court has said the evidence must be visible so Chutkan can assess whether it complies with the ruling on presidential immunity.

Under the terms of Chutkan’s scheduling order, Trump has until October 1 to file a sealed copy of his objections to Smith’s redacted version of the 180-page dossier.

She also gave him until October 10 to file an objection to the attachment accompanying the filing.

In late August, Smith filed an updated complaint against Trump, reforming the case to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling that granted immunity to sitting presidents when performing certain “official” acts.

The new indictment removes all allegations against Trump related to efforts to pressure the Justice Department to falsely declare that President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory was the result of massive fraud, after the Supreme Court ruled that this official behavior.

A list of unnamed co-conspirators has been shortened, and the phrase “private attorney” now describes the unindicted lawyers who allegedly helped Trump pressure officials to overturn the results.

It also removes all references to Trump as the 45th president of the United States and instead refers to him as a “candidate for president.”