DOJ argues for release of special counsel report on Jan. 6 insurrection, days before Trump takes office
CNN
The Justice Department told a federal appeals court on Wednesday that it should be able to release the January 6-related volume of its final report of special counsel Jack Smith days before Donald Trump takes office.
The Justice Department told a federal appeals court on Wednesday that it should be able to release the January 6-related volume of its final report of special counsel Jack Smith days before Donald Trump takes office. But, the department does not plan to publicly release the part of Smith’s report regarding the investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Tuesday blocked the special counsel from releasing both volumes, following a request from Trump and his former co-defendants in the classified documents case, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira. (Nauta and De Olivera have pleaded not guilty.) Because it won’t make the part regarding Nauta and De Oliveira public, the Justice Department told the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals that the pair shouldn’t be allowed to stop the rest of the report from being released. “There is neither any need nor legal basis for an injunction,” the DOJ wrote in a filing to an appeals court on Wednesday. “The Attorney General intends to release Volume One to Congress and the public consistent … in furtherance of the public interest in informing a co-equal branch and the public regarding this significant matter. But to avoid any risk of prejudice to defendants Nauta and De Oliveira, the Attorney General has determined, at the recommendation of the Special Counsel, that he will not publicly release Volume Two so long as defendants’ criminal proceedings remain pending.” CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.
CNN’s 5 Things AM brings you the news you need to know every morning.
Biden says in USA Today interview that he has not yet made decision about issuing preemptive pardons
President Joe Biden said he had not made a decision about issuing preemptive pardons before leaving office, leaving the door open to an unprecedented move to protect some of his allies as he warned President-elect Donald Trump against trying to “settle scores.”
President-elect Donald Trump’s team is discussing plans to designate Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, according to three sources familiar with the discussions, bringing back an idea that failed to come to fruition during his first term in office.
TikTok, the popular social media platform celebrated for its frothy mix of dance videos, cat antics, news clips and recipes, will wage a substantial First Amendment battle at the Supreme Court on Friday.
Since 2023, seven babies in the neonatal intensive care unit of a Richmond hospital have suffered unexplained fractures and other injuries. Police last week arrested former nurse Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman and charged her with malicious wounding and felony child abuse.
It’s the world’s most exclusive fraternity and, on Thursday, all five members of the so-called presidents club will gather to honor one of their own.
After nearly a decade in power, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finally bowed to a chorus of criticism that had become too loud to ignore, announcing his resignation on Monday. Among the loudest critics was one of his most loyal and longest-serving deputies.
CNN national correspondent Natasha Chen and her team were wrapping up a long day of reporting on the devastating wildfires racing through the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, as the sun set over the scorched landscape.
A driver who authorities say exploded a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas last week used artificial intelligence to plan the blast, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Thirteen Cuban soldiers are missing after explosions rocked an arms and ammunition depot in the eastern province of Holguin, Cuba’s armed forces said late on Tuesday.
The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court on Tuesday to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that would spare him the risk of the death penalty in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the United States.