Special Counsel Jack Smith had reportedly prepared to release the report in December, after dropping two federal prosecutions tied to the investigations in November, following Trump’s election victory. Smith defended the confidentiality of Volume Two, stating in a court brief Wednesday that publishing it could “prejudice remaining defendants” involved in related criminal trials, including a former Trump valet and a Mar-a-Lago property manager.
Smith added that Volume Two would only be made available to ranking members and chairs of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
Oversight Committee’s Role
Connolly’s letter highlights the Oversight Committee’s jurisdiction over NARA, which referred the matter to the DOJ in 2022 after discovering Trump’s retention of classified documents post-presidency.
“The committee has a vested interest in this matter,” Connolly wrote, referencing the bipartisan investigations into classified documents retained by both Trump and President Joe Biden. Connolly pointed out that the committee’s chair, Rep. James Comer, had previously used the same authority to investigate Biden’s handling of classified records.
