Judge Cannon Dismisses Trump's Classified Documents Case In Florida

  

FORT PIERCE, Florida - A federal judge in the U.S. Southern District of Florida dismissed President Donald Trump's classified documents case on Monday.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon granted a motion filed by Trump's legal team challenging the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith. Judge Cannon ruled that Smith's appointment violated the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, Article II, Section 2, Clause 2, which mandates that officers of the United States be appointed by the President with Senate confirmation.

"The bottom line is this: The Appointments Clause is a critical constitutional restriction stemming from the separation of powers, and it gives to Congress a considered role in determining the propriety of vesting appointment power for inferior officers." Cannon wrote in her order.

"The Special Counsel’s position effectively usurps that important legislative authority, transferring it to a Head of Department, and in the process threatening the structural liberty inherent in the separation of powers. If the political branches wish to grant the Attorney General power to appoint Special Counsel Smith to investigate and prosecute this action with the full powers of a United States Attorney, there is a valid means by which to do so. He can be appointed and confirmed through the default method prescribed in the Appointments Clause, as Congress has directed for United States Attorneys throughout American history, see 28 U.S.C. § 541, or Congress can authorize his appointment through enactment of positive statutory law consistent with the Appointments Clause."

Trump's Response

"As we move forward in Uniting our Nation after the horrific events on Saturday, this dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts — The January 6th Hoax in Washington, D.C., the Manhattan D.A.’s Zombie Case, the New York A.G. Scam, Fake Claims about a woman I never met (a decades old photo in a line with her then husband does not count), and the Georgia “Perfect” Phone Call charges," Trump stated on TruthSocial.

"The Democrat Justice Department coordinated ALL of these Political Attacks, which are an Election Interference conspiracy against Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME. Let us come together to END all Weaponization of our Justice System, and Make America Great Again!"

FULL TEXT: Order Dismissing United States of America v. Trump CASE NO. 23-80101-CR-CANNON