Former President Trump’s legal troubles took a new turn this week when a federal judge in Florida denied a request by special counsel Jack Smith to file secret grand jury materials from Washington, D.C.
Judge Aileen Cannon said there was not enough legal or factual basis to keep the documents confidential, and she ordered them removed from the South Florida court’s docket.
Cannon also expressed concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving Trump’s lawyer, Stanley Woodward. The government may call Woodward’s clients as witnesses, including Trump’s Mar-a-Lago IT director Yuscil Taveras and two other staffers who followed Trump from D.C. to Florida.
Prosecutors argued that these individuals could end up testifying for the government at trial, putting Woodward in the awkward position of potentially cross-examining former or current clients.
The judge gave deadlines for both sides to address these issues. The defense has until August 17 to respond on the appropriateness of using an out-of-district grand jury. Prosecutors have until August 22 to reply to the conflict of interest concerns.
A spokesperson for Smith’s office said they would comply with the court’s orders, while Woodward has remained silent.
Trump’s former valet Walt Nauta was indicted on six counts of allegedly conspiring with Trump to conceal classified records and providing false information. Trump was also named as a defendant, accused of hiding sensitive FBI files at his estate.
The complex and unprecedented legal proceedings related to Trump’s handling of government records continue to unfold in federal court. The outcome remains uncertain as both sides navigate the uncharted legal territory.