The Department of Justice on Friday filed a motion to keep classified documents that will be used at former President Donald Trump’s upcoming trial out of his hands.
The motion seeks to block Trump from releasing the documents, according to The Hill.
Trump has been charged with 37 counts in connection to his alleged mishandling of classified information.
On Friday, the Justice Department requested an order covering documents that “include information pertaining to ongoing investigations.”
The Justice Department indicated those could be used in other cases against other people.
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The order wants to only allow Trump to see 31 documents when he is supervised.
“Defendants shall only have access to Discovery Materials under the direct supervision of Defense Counsel or a member of Defense Counsel’s staff. Defendants shall not retain copies of Discovery Material. Defendants may take notes regarding Discovery Materials, but such notes shall be stored securely by Defense Counsel,” the request for the order said.
The order also wants Trump prevented from sharing anything he sees.
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“The Discovery Materials, along with any information derived therefrom, shall not be disclosed to the public or the news media, or disseminated on any news or social media platform, without prior notice to and consent of the United States or approval of the Court,” the filing said.
The report indicated Trump would have access to other records taken from his Mar-a-Lago estate in August.
Judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the August search, will review the request, according to the New York Daily News.
Of course they want a gag order on Trump.
That way the DOJ can leak everything they want the public to see so, even if Trump beats the charges, he’ll be tried in the court of public opinion.
— They Call Me Ralph (@NewRandomGeek) June 17, 2023
At his arraignment Tuesday. Trump was barred from talking about the case with witnesses and with his aide, Walt Nauta, Trump’s co-defendant, according to USA Today.
However, the order might mean less than it seems, said attorney Mark Zaid, noting that Trump’s post-arraignment speech was “just one of any number of atypical circumstances that will plague this case.”
“Few defendants would have an opportunity to speak to a co-defendant or witness in a manner that Trump will have available,” he said.
He said the court will need to monitor Trump’s public speeches to determine if private, forbidden messages are being sent.
“Should Trump make comments at an event attended by Nauta, or perhaps through television or social media, and it appears that very clear messages, if not instructions, are being made that would be deemed inappropriate if the two were meeting privately, I would expect prosecutors to revisit this issue before the judge for further clarification or expansion of the scope of the gag order,” he said.
