Miami, Florida – Special counsel Jack Smith has called on U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to enforce redactions on court filings made by Waltine “Walt” Nauta, former President Donald Trump’s valet in the classified documents case related to Mar-a-Lago. Nauta is facing charges of conspiracy to obstruct, making false statements to the FBI, and withholding documents. He is accused of attempting to delete camera footage from Mar-a-Lago and concealing classified documents from a grand jury. In his briefs, Nauta argued that the indictment should be dismissed due to vindictive prosecution and retaliation for refusing to testify before a grand jury.
Smith’s office responded to Nauta’s arguments, categorizing them as “deeply flawed” and “meritless.” The government’s filing on Friday asks Judge Cannon to intervene in the dispute regarding Nauta’s ability to disclose the names of potential government witnesses and other sensitive information.
According to the government’s motion, defense attorneys and Judge Cannon have been provided with redacted versions of Nauta’s reply briefs. The special counsel’s motion explains that certain portions of the reply must be redacted, as they refer to filings that the court has ordered sealed. Smith also raised concerns about Nauta’s attempt to disclose details about two separate sealed grand jury proceedings.
In response, the government argued that one of the grand jury proceedings was unrelated to the current case and occurred before the appointment of the special counsel, rendering it irrelevant. The ongoing feud between the government, the court, and the defense regarding the publication of witnesses’ names was also mentioned in the filing. The special counsel’s office emphasized the importance of witness safety and privacy during the pretrial phase.
Furthermore, the government objected to a recent filing submitted by Trump’s co-defendant, which included the names of government witnesses. They sought redactions for these names and any pronouns that could reveal the witnesses’ gender.
The case involving Nauta’s alleged obstruction and withholding of documents is closely watched, particularly due to its connection to Mar-a-Lago and former President Trump. The issue of redactions and the disclosure of sensitive information has become a contentious point of debate between the government and defense, with Judge Cannon being heavily criticized for her decisions regarding the publication of witnesses’ names. As the legal proceedings continue, the focus remains on maintaining the integrity of the case while protecting the privacy and safety of witnesses.