Judge clears the way for release of special counsel Smith's report on Trump's Jan. 6 case

Washington — A federal judge said Monday that the Justice Department can release special counsel Jack Smith’s investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, is the latest back and forth in a court dispute about the report from the special counsel who prosecuted Trump in two cases the Justice Department abandoned in November.

Cannon had earlier temporarily blocked the department from releasing the report. Cannon's latest order on Monday cleared the way for the release of the volume on Trump's 2020 election interference case.

She set a hearing for Friday on whether the department can release to lawmakers the volume on Trump's classified documents case. The department has said it will not publicly disclose that volume as long as criminal proceedings against two of Trump’s co-defendants remain pending.

Copyright Associated Press