The federal judge overseeing the 2020 election lawsuit against former President Donald Trump has reportedly sided with Trump’s defense team in order to relax a protective order on case material.
Friday morning saw the return of Trump’s attorneys to federal court in Washington, D.C., for their initial hearing before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is in charge of the investigation into Trump’s alleged involvement in the 2020 election tampering by special counsel Jack Smith.
Arguments were presented to Chutkan on the case’s evidence limitations.
Prosecutors had asked in court documents for extensive limitations prohibiting the sharing of “sensitive” information with the former president by Trump’s legal team, such as witness testimony to the grand jury and recordings and transcripts of Trump aides who spoke to prosecutors.
The government’s request was overly broad, according to Trump’s legal team, and it violated his First Amendment rights.
In a “close” judgment, Chutkan said that she was unconvinced by the government’s argument that all of the evidence acquired in the case would be covered by the protective order.
She decided that only data classified as “sensitive” needed to be secured.
Trump is accused of conspiring to defraud the United States, obstruct an official proceeding, attempt to obstruct an official proceeding while conspiring to do so, and conspiring against rights.
These accusations are the result of Smith’s investigation into the tampering of the 2020 election and the Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021.
The leading GOP candidate for 2024 has entered a not-guilty plea to all allegations.
[READ MORE: Special Prosecutor Jack Smith Proposes Trial Date in January 6th Case Against Trump]
