U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon denied former President Donald Trump’s request to see more of the classified evidence submitted by the federal prosecutors. This is the second time in 24 hours that she denied a request against Trump and co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira.
Motions denied
The Republican Judge appointed by Trump denied the former president’s request to access Special Counsel Jack Smith’s CIPA (the Classified Information Procedures Act) Section 4 filing that detailed reasons for wanting to redact some of the classified documents. In a nine-page ruling, Judge Cannon wrote, “Defendants’ Motions are DENIED.”
Weissmann praised Cannon’s ruling
Former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann wrote on X, “Judge Cannon’s ruling is correct and obvious, and avoids her getting reversed for a 3rd time by the Eleventh Circuit. Predict she will also reverse herself on full disclosure of witness names/statements (for the same reason). Many more motions for her to decide…”
Vance agreed
Former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance shared, “Had Cannon ruled in Trump’s favor, she would have be plainly wrong. Special Counsel would have had no option but to appeal & she would have been promptly reversed & perhaps ordered to step aside.”
Another ruling was just hours ago
Trump’s co-defendants requested to view confidential records, but Jack Smith urged Cannon to reject the request. Cannon ruled, “The Special Counsel has made a sufficient showing that Defendant Nauta and De Oliveira’s personal review of the materials produced in classified discovery would not be ‘relevant and helpful’ to their defense.”
Others greeted this ruling
Brian D. Greer, the CIA’s Office of General Counsel ex-attorney, shared on X, “Cannon did the right thing by not permitting Nauta & De Oliveira to access the classified MAL docs.” However, he cautioned, “But don’t overlook the epic self-own here. Because of this effort, she has now been extensively briefed on the contents of those docs & why their disclosure is harmful to national security.”
The trial should start on May 20
On March 1, the Judge will confirm or deny the trial date in the classified documents case set for May 20. MSNBC’s Jordan Rubin noted that “whatever happens in the classified documents case,” Cannon proved “she knows how to make obviously correct moves when she wants to.”
Did Cannon gain more power?
After the SCOTUS ruled that they would hear out presidential immunity claims, Politico’s Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein concluded it gave Judge Cannon “even more power.” Cheney and Gerstein asserted, “A decision by Cannon to push back the Florida case could clog the calendar in late summer,” which would make the DC trial “all but impossible, even if the Supreme Court lifts the freeze in the election case soon after it is argued.”
Lisa Rubin agreed
MSNBC’s legal analyst Lisa Rubin shared on X, “And now, the court’s decision to hear the immunity question on April 22 will likely influence Judge Cannon’s scheduling conference in that case this coming Friday.”
“Watch them”
Rubin continued, “After all, Trump’s team will argue, with his immunity defense in the balance, how can she possibly schedule a trial at all? Watch them demand a stay of all proceedings.”
Trump’s immunity claim
Since Trump is the first former or current president to face criminal charges, the immunity claims, like everything else in other federal cases except Manhattan’s, represent novel legal challenges.
Manhattan prosecutors are using Trump’s quotes against him
The trial is set for March 25, and according to ABC News, prosecutors will use Trump’s words against him. The hush money probe charged Trump with falsifying business records in association with a hush money payment made to adult actress Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election.
The only case that does not involve presidential immunity
Since the allegations happened before Trump became president, this could be the only case resolved before the election. The Supreme Court faced fierce criticism over agreeing to hear out the case in late April, and many expect there won’t be a ruling before June.
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