Prosecutors sought to keep secret their reasons for postponing former D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown’s sentencing because disclosure “could impede ongoing investigations,” court documents released Tuesday show. A judge agreed Monday to delay the sentencing hearing, but had refused to keep the rationale from public view.

Under the terms of his plea deal with prosecutors, Brown, who pleaded guilty in June to a felony bank fraud charge, pledged to assist authorities in ongoing investigations.