DOJ drops classified documents case against Trump codefendants

The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday moved to dismiss with prejudice its case against Trump associates Waltine Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira. The motion seeks to end the DOJ’s investigation into President Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents. The DOJ already stopped its prosecution of Trump as a defendant in the case shortly after he won his reelection to the White House, but continued its prosecution of Nauta and De Oliveira.

What does it mean to dismiss a lawsuit with prejudice? Dismissing the case with prejudice means that the federal government cannot resurrect the charges against Nauta or De Oliveira at a later date, according to the Legal Information Institute. Prosecutors had conferred with Nauta and De Oliveira’s attorneys, and neither of them opposed the motion, the DOJ said in its filing.

Dig deeper: Read my report about how DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith stands by his choice to prosecute Trump for his actions related to the Capitol riots of Jan. 6, 2021.