document affair - Intermediary goes against setting of Trump trial in appeal
While the nation was still heatedly discussing the assassination attempt on their former president, Judge Aileen Cannon made a decision that left Democrats speechless and brought joy to Donald Trump's team: The Florida judge halted the proceedings against Trump in the document case. However, the matter is not off the table yet, as Special Counsel Jack Smith has now filed an appeal against the ruling.
Smith's appointment "unconstitutional"
Judge Cannon – once nominated for her position by Trump himself – justified her ruling by stating that US Attorney General Merrick Garland had violated the Constitution with the appointment of Special Counsel Smith to investigate the case. She granted the request from Trump's attorneys just in time for the party convention, giving the presidential candidate a significant victory.
The spokesperson for the Special Counsel stated that Judge Cannon's decision deviated from the opinions of all previous courts that had addressed the issue. All these institutions had concluded that the Attorney General "is legally authorized to appoint a Special Counsel."
In her 93-page ruling, Cannon argued that the appointment of the Special Counsel by the Attorney General disrespected the rights of the US Congress in the appointment of leading members of the justice system. She did not address the content of the criminal charges against Trump in the document case.
Trump calls for "end to all witch hunts"
Trump wrote on his online platform Truth Social about the judge's decision: "The dismissal of this unjustified accusation should be just the first step." The "end to all witch hunts" should now "follow quickly." The former president was indicted in the document case on 40 counts, facing a long prison sentence.
Special Counsel Smith had not only initiated the criminal charges against Trump in the document case, but also the indictment against Trump before a Federal Court in Washington for his massive efforts to manipulate the election after his loss against the current President Joe Biden in 2020.
Critics had previously accused the judge of delaying the case.
- In response to Judge Cannon's ruling, Special Counsel Jack Smith's spokesperson argued that previous courts have concluded that the Attorney General has the legal authority to appoint a Special Counsel, contradicting Cannon's view that Garland violated the Constitution in appointing Smith to investigate Trump.
- The decision by Judge Aileen Cannon, who was nominated for her position by Donald Trump himself, to halt the proceedings against him in the document case was widely celebrated by Trump's team, providing a significant boost to his presidential campaign in Florida.
- Despite the halt in proceedings, the document affair is far from over, as Special Counsel Jack Smith has now filed an appeal against the ruling, keeping the matter active and potentially leading to future penal proceedings against Trump.
