Chief Justice Roberts Puts Hold on Disclosure of Russia Investigation Materials

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday put a temporary hold on the disclosure to a Democrat-led House of Representatives committee of grand jury material redacted from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Roberts' move comes a day after the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to temporarily halt an appeals court ruling that would force the Department of Justice to hand over the material, citing “substantial constitutional difficulties."

Democrats were seeking the material with an eye toward opening a second impeachment of President Donald Trump.

The block will remain in place while the court considers what action to take. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in March that the materials had to be disclosed to the House Judiciary Committee and refused to put that decision on hold.

The appeals court said the materials had to be handed over by May 11 if the Supreme Court did not intervene.