In a ruling that surprised and angered Justice Department officials, a federal judge in Florida on Thursday (August 18) instructed the DOJ to suggest redactions as a first step in a possible release of the affidavit related to the warrant for the search of Donald Trump’s Palm Beach home. That search resulted in the removal of more than a dozen boxes of documents, some of which were highly classified.
Justice Department officials have until next Thursday at noon to suggest to the judge material that should be kept from public view if he ultimately decides to allow the release of the affidavit, a move that would be highly unusual, in a case that has already proven to be highly unusual in every aspect.
Tom spoke a couple of days ago here on Midday with the legal scholar, Kim Wehle, about the possibility of the affidavit being released, and she thought it very unlikely that it would be. Investigators are worried about witnesses who have come forward, and about showing defendants who may be indicted what their prosecutorial strategy may be. NPR will have the latest on this story as it develops, so stay tuned.
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On Midday today, our focus is on state politics.
The Maryland State Board of Elections recognizes five political parties. What recognition means is that, in addition to Republicans and Democrats, candidates from the Green Party, the Libertarian Party and the Working Class Party do not need to collect 10,000 signatures in order to be placed on the ballot. Independent candidates, who are not affiliated with any party, do have to collect signatures to qualify.
In this election cycle, an independent who aspired to be on the ballot for Governor failed to get enough signatures. But the Green Party, the Libertarians and the Working Class Party have all nominated candidates in the race for Governor, and today on Midday, we will continue our series of Conversations with the Candidates with the Green Party nominee, Nancy Wallace. She has been a member of the Green Party since 2003.
Her campaign is inspired by the environmental activist Greta Thunberg, and it is centered on environmental issues. Ms. Wallace has worked as an environmental lobbyist on Capitol Hill. In the 1990s she served as the Sierra Club’s Washington Director of the International Population Program and since then she has worked in the tech field supporting a number of different federal agencies.
Nancy Wallace grew up in Bethesda. She holds an undergraduate degree from Yale University. She is 66 years old. She has mentored three at risk children over the past 25 years.
This is her second campaign for elective office. She ran for Congress in the 8th district in 2016. Her Lt. Governor running mate is Pat Elder, a former teacher and real estate professional from St. Mary’s County.
Nancy Wallace joins us on Zoom from Bethesda.
