On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan instructed prosecutors to share details from an ongoing investigation into former Vice President Mike Pence’s handling of classified documents, with Donald Trump’s legal team. This order comes amid Trump’s legal battles, as he faces four felony charges related to attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which included the January 6 Capitol riot.
Trump, who maintains his innocence and claims political motivation behind the charges, argues that information from the Pence investigation could be pivotal for his defense. His attorneys posited that Pence might have an incentive to implicate Trump amid his own legal woes regarding classified materials discovered at his Indiana residence in January 2023.
Special Counsel Jack Smith, leading the Justice Department’s case against Trump, stated that his team has no connection to the Pence investigation and only possesses publicly known information at this time. However, Judge Chutkan asked Smith’s team to uncover any additional relevant Justice Department records concerning Pence’s case.
Chutkan acknowledged that understanding a potential witness’s motivations could be critical, stating, “Defendant is correct that information suggesting a potential witness’s motives for implicating him may be material.”
Moreover, prosecutors were tasked with providing details regarding Pence’s briefing with military officials about security protocols on January 6, as well as documents reviewed by Trump’s former director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, before his testimony.
However, while Chutkan’s ruling is a partial win for Trump’s defense, she rejected many other requests for evidence, including information regarding the 2020 election and the Capitol riot. Notably, she dismissed Trump’s request for documents related to Russian interference in the 2016 election, stating that foreign attempts to influence elections do not affect the legitimacy of Trump’s alleged actions.
Trump was indicted in August 2023 on multiple counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of an official proceeding, following Pence’s testimony before the grand jury. Although the Justice Department indicated in June 2023 that Pence would not face charges related to his classified documents inquiry, it appears there is no indication of intentional wrongdoing on his part.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.