Judge Bars Release of Report on Trump

A separate bid to delay his coming criminal sentencing in New York is denied

- C. RYAN BARBER And CORINNE RAMEY

A federal judge on Tuesday barred the Justice Department from releasing special counsel Jack Smith's report on his investigation into Donald Trump, while a New York appeals judge denied the president-elect's separate bid to delay his coming criminal sentencing for covering up hush money paid to an adult-film star.

In the Smith case, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida issued an order preventing the Justice Department from "releasing, sharing, or transmitting" special counsel's final report or otherwise distributing information or conclusions from the document while an appeals court considers the matter.

Cannon, a Trump appointee, previously tossed Smith's prosecution of the former president on allegations that he mishandled classified documents after he left office.

Smith had been appealing that ruling and separately prosecuting Trump in Washington on allegations that he unlawfully interfered with the 2020 election.

The special counsel dropped both efforts after Trump won in November, in light of a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.