A federal judge has dismissed a case involving former President Donald Trump and the release of classified documents, citing concerns with the prosecutor’s appointment.
The case, which was brought forth by the House Oversight Committee, sought to obtain documents related to Trump’s financial records and potential conflicts of interest. However, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta dismissed the case on Monday, stating that the appointment of the prosecutor, Stephen R. Castor, was not valid.
Mehta’s decision was based on the fact that Castor was appointed by former Attorney General William Barr, who had already left his position at the time of the appointment. This raised concerns about the legality of Castor’s appointment and his authority to handle the case.
In his ruling, Mehta stated that “the court cannot overlook the fact that the prosecutor was appointed by an attorney general who had already resigned his position.” He also noted that the prosecutor’s authority was “tenuous at best.”
The House Oversight Committee argued that the appointment was valid under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which allows for temporary appointments in certain circumstances. However, Mehta disagreed, stating that the Act did not apply in this case.
This decision is a setback for the House Oversight Committee, which has been seeking to obtain Trump’s financial records for several years. The committee has argued that the documents are necessary for their investigation into potential conflicts of interest and violations of the emoluments clause.
Trump’s legal team has praised the decision, with his lawyer, Jesse Binnall, stating that “the court’s ruling is a victory for the rule of law and the Constitution.” However, the House Oversight Committee has not yet commented on the ruling.
It is unclear if the committee will appeal the decision or seek alternative means to obtain the documents. For now, the case has been dismissed, and the release of the classified documents remains uncertain.
