Senate Democrats are pressing for access to special counsel Jack Smith's report on the classified documents investigation at Mar-a-Lago, arguing it contains key information on Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's choice to lead the FBI, The Hill reported.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee demand access to a volume of former special counsel Jack Smith's report on the investigation into classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. They assert that the report contains relevant details about Kash Patel, a close Trump aide at the time.
In a letter led by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the panel's top Democrat, lawmakers emphasized the need to review Patel's testimony to assess his credibility and handling of classified materials.
"Mr. Patel's testimony under oath before the grand jury on this and other potential matters and the special counsel's findings with regard to Mr. Patel's related activities and statements, remain unknown to the Committee and the public," Schiff wrote on behalf of the panel's Democratic members.
Prosecutors granted Patel immunity to testify before the grand jury investigating the case.
"The Committee cannot adequately fulfill its constitutional duty without reviewing Mr. Patel's testimony under oath, which is necessary to evaluate Mr. Patel's truthfulness, trustworthiness, and regard for the protection of classified information," the letter states.
Patel, a former Trump adviser, previously asserted he witnessed the former president declassify documents, a defense Trump has suggested regarding the more than 300 classified records recovered from his Florida estate.
The request seeks Patel's testimony and the relevant section of Smith's report, which former Attorney General Merrick Garland initially withheld from public release. However, before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon intervened, Garland was ready to share it with the four House and Senate Judiciary Committee leaders.
Cannon blocked the disclosure, warning that any leaks from lawmakers could affect the ongoing case against Trump's two co-defendants.
On Wednesday, the Justice Department dropped an appeal that could have revived the prosecution of the co-defendants. This action seems to nullify Cannon's reasoning for blocking the disclosure.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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