The Independent View: Judge Agrees to Unseal Additional Filings from Trump's Jan. 6 Case

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday, agreed to Unseal additional Filings from Special Counsel Jack Smith. laying out His Election Interference Case against Trump, something Trump’s Attorneys signaled they Plan to Challenge.

Chutkan agreed to a Request from Smith to Unseal Exhibits that accompany His 180-page Brief asserting that Prosecutors can still bring much of their Jan. 6th Case against Trump in the wake of a Supreme Court Decision Granting former Presidents broad Ccriminal Immunity, but left it up to Local Courts to decide what is a Presidential Action and which are Not.

Smith argues Trump’s efforts to Thwart the Transfer of Power were the Unlawful Actions of a Private Citizen, not of a President.

Chutkan granted Smith’s Motion to Post Redacted Versions of the Exhibits, something that could include Grand Jury Transcripts, Texts, and other Evidence assembled by Prosecutors.

“The court determines that the Government’s proposed redactions to the Appendix are appropriate, and that Defendant’s blanket objections to further unsealing are without merit. As the court has stated previously, ‘Defendant’s concern with the political consequences of these proceedings’ is not a cognizable legal prejudice,’” She wrote.

Trump opposed both the Unsealing of Smith’s Motion as well as the accompanying Evidence. “There should be no further disclosures at this time of the so-called ‘evidence’ that the Special Counsel’s Office has unlawfully cherry-picked and mischaracterized — during early voting in the 2024 Presidential election,” Trump’s Team wrote in an earlier Filing Thursday.

But Chutkan also Agreed to Stay her Ruling for Seven days, after an earlier Motion from Trump’s Legal Team asked for additional Time “so that President Trump can evaluate litigation options relating to the decision.”

A Motion to Reconsider or Appeal Chutkan’s Decision would be sure to eat up more time, in a Case already Delayed by Trump’s Appeal to the Supreme Court and other Efforts.

Trump already has until Nov. 7th, just days after the Election, to File His own Response to Smith’s 180-page Brief with One of His own, that will make His Case for why the Charges should be Dropped.