WASHINGTON – Special counsel Jack Smith asked a court Wednesday to end an appeal by prosecutors seeking to revive the case of classified documents against President-elect Donald Trump in light of the Republican’s presidential victory.

Smith’s team was evaluated how to give up classified documents and the 2020 federal election interference case in Washington before Trump takes office because of the Justice Department’s longstanding policy that sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted.

The case accusing Trump of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate has been considered the clearest legally of the four charges against Trump, given the breadth of evidence prosecutors say they have – they accumulated. That included the testimony of close aides and former lawyersand because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House in 2021 and lost the powers of the presidency.

But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in Julyruling that Smith was illegally appointed by the Justice Department. Smith appealed her decision to the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals before Trump’s presidential victory last week over Vice President Kamala Harris.

Prosecutors asked the 11th Circuit in a court filing Wednesday to halt the appeal to “allow the government time to evaluate this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course moving forward, consistent with Department of Justice policy.” . Smith’s team said it would “inform the Court of the outcome of its deliberations” no later than December 2.

Washington judge overseeing federal case accuses Trump of conspiring to overturn 2020 election canceled all future dates in the case last week after Smith’s team made a similar request.

Smith is expected to leave his post before Trump takes office, but the special counsels are expected to produce reports on their work that are historically made public, and it remains unclear when such a report might be released. document.

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Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker contributed from Washington.