The U.S. Army has released an almost entirely redacted version of the police report describing when a staffer for Donald Trump’s campaign reportedly shoved an Arlington National Cemetery employee.

The U.S. Army has released an almost entirely redacted version of the police report describing when a staffer for Donald Trump’s campaign reportedly shoved an Arlington National Cemetery employee who was trying to prevent them from photographing a ceremony to honor service members killed in the Afghanistan War withdrawal.

Federal law prohibits campaign or election-related activities within Army national military cemeteries. The four sentences visible in the executive summary of the report released under court order Friday block out a key word that appears to describe the Trump campaign staffer shoving the cemetery employee out of the way.

It does say the Trump staffer used both hands while trying to move past the cemetery employee. Both the names are redacted, and the sworn statement the cemetery worker gave to police is completely blacked out.

  • blady_blah@lemmy.world
    14·
    2 months ago

    I’m confused though, what is the logic for redacting the statement? What is the legal justification?

    • Telodzrum@lemmy.world
      16·
      2 months ago

      In a letter accompanying the report, Army senior counsel Paul DeAgostino said the redactions were done to protect personal privacy and information compiled for law enforcement purposes. He said the records are part of an ongoing investigation and their release “could reasonably be expected to interfere with ongoing enforcement proceedings.”

      The Army echoed DeAgostino’s comment, saying in a statement that it released the report to comply with the court order, adding that the police investigation “remains open and we are therefore unable to provide further information at this time.”