Congressman Cohen Introduces Volume II Transparency Act

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today introduced the Volume II Transparency Act, requiring disclosure of Volume II of Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on the classified documents retained by Donald Trump that a federal judge in Florida has sealed.

Recently disclosed records establish that Trump retained, without authority, some of the nation's most sensitive classified documents at his private club in Florida and elsewhere. Smith's report on his investigative findings are being withheld from disclosure by order of U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon.

The Smith investigation resulted in 40 felony counts of mishandling classified documents and obstructing his investigation. The criminal case was not pursued once Trump took office because of longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president, not because it didn't have merit. Smith has testified before Congress that he had evidence that would establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"We all know that Trump retained classified documents after leaving office and tried to obstruct efforts to have them returned. The issue has always been 'why?' and Smith's report would cast revealing light on the truth. Trump clearly violated the law whether he was or will in the future be prosecuted. The public deserves to know why this chapter in Trump's serial violations of the federal law isn't brought from the shadows and what and why powerful people want to keep it hidden. What's in Volume II? An inquiring public needs to know."

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