A magistrate judge denies Trump's petition to postpone the dissemination of documents relating to the special counsel's probe in the 2020 election manipulation trial.
The legal team of the previous president requested Judge Tanya Chutkan to delay the release of a supplementary document – containing additional details from special counsel Jack Smith's broad immunity submission, detailing various aspects of the case against Trump – until post the November presidential elections.
The defense argued that the case has already exerted an "unfair influence" on the election, and a pause on this document would boost public faith in the judicial system.
If no halt was enforced, the attorneys contended, the selective disclosure of allegations and related documents during the early voting period would generate a bewildering impression of election manipulation.
Contrary to their arguments, Chutkan asserted that the precise opposite was true.
"Withholding information that the public is entitled to, solely due to the potential political backlash of releasing it, could constitute – or appear to be – election tampering itself," the judge wrote.
The judge further added, "The court will continue to keep political factors at bay from its decision-making process, instead of incorporating them as the defendant suggests."
Chutkan concluded by stating that this appendix, which might involve extensive blackout sections, will be made public on Friday.
The ongoing politics surrounding this case has led to concerns about the impact of the supplementary document on the upcoming elections. Delaying its release, as suggested by the defense, could be perceived as an attempt to manipulate the election process.
