Court drops remaining classified documents appeal against Trump’s aides

A federal appeals court on Tuesday dismissed the case against two men accused of helping Donald Trump hide classified papers at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

The dismissal marks the end of the closely watched prosecution initially brought by special counsel Jack Smith.

The Justice Department had already dropped the case against Trump because of its longstanding view that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted. Now the 11th Circuit appeals court has formally dismissed the remainder of that case against Trump’s valet Walt Nauta and property manager Carlos De Oliveira.

Both men had faced charges of obstructing justice for allegedly helping to move highly classified papers at Mar-a-Lago after the FBI demanded their return.

There’s an effort underway to push the Justice Department to release part of a report by prosecutors explaining their decisions in that case. But the Trump DOJ is expected to resist making more information public.