The assignment of U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago classified documents case has been met with skepticism from the start, as reported by the New York Times. Legal experts and critics were quick to question Cannon’s early rulings in the case, which seemed to lean in Trump’s favor and were so contentious that they were overturned by an appeals court.
Now, nearly nine months after the Department of Justice’s special counsel, Jack Smith charged Trump with 37 felony counts—including mishandling classified documents, obstruction of justice, and making false statements—concerns persist about the slow progress toward trial under Judge Cannon’s supervision.
Last week, Judge Cannon considered Trump’s plea to dismiss the charges, a pivotal moment in the proceedings. In the Thursday hearing, she ultimately rejected Trump’s request, but the decision is seen by some as only a momentary setback for the former president, reported NBC News.
“It’s very hard, I think at this point, given all of the politics from the [US] Supreme Court, on — not to view Aileen Cannon and also [special counsel Robert] Hur, who clerked, I believe, for [former U.S. Supreme Court] Judge [William] Rehnquist at one point — as auditioning,” Reid said.
“They’re helping Donald Trump. He doesn’t have the most genius lawyers in the world. All they have to do is keep appealing and appealing and filing motions and that’s all it apparently takes to have justice delayed, which in a sense, for the people of the United States and voters, is justice denied.”
Aronberg replied, “Yeah, Joy. I agree with you and [legal expert] Neal [Katyal], that Trump can win by losing. He can lose all these hearings, and still win because his strategy is to delay things. Trump is nervous about this particular charge because it is the strongest case against Donald Trump. The Espionage Act, obstruction — they’ve got him dead to rights. His only defense is he somehow declassified the documents in his mind like some Jedi mind trick is preposterous. If he can keep delaying it, he expects to be president again.
Palm Beach County, Florida State Attorney Dave Aronberg discussed the implications of Cannon’s decision with MSNBC’s Joy Reid, suggesting it’s a mere “temporary victory” for the prosecution led by Smith. Aronberg highlighted a scenario where Trump if re-elected, could influence the legal proceedings significantly. He could direct the Attorney General to halt the case, potentially appoint Judge Cannon to the Supreme Court, and thereby reshape the judicial landscape in his favor.
Aronberg further explained that Cannon’s denial of Trump’s motion to dismiss the case was “without prejudice,” allowing for the possibility that the motion could be raised again during the trial. Should Cannon accept such a motion mid-trial, the principle of double jeopardy could prevent any appeal to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, effectively stalling the prosecution’s efforts on that front.
This nuanced legal situation underscores the complexity of the legal battle surrounding Trump’s handling of classified documents and the broader implications for the judicial system. The developments in this high-profile case continue to draw attention to the intricate interplay between legal proceedings and political dynamics, highlighting the challenges facing the justice system in navigating cases involving high-profile political figures.
