In a stunning twist, the former President and Republican nominee, Donald Trump, is now embroiled in criminal charges relating to the mishandling of classified materials at his iconic Mar-a-Lago estate. Adding intrigue to the situation is the fact that the case will be presided over by none other than Aileen M. Cannon, a federal district court judge appointed by Trump himself in Florida’s Southern District.
Judge Cannon’s appointment immediately drew sharp criticism due to her previous ruling against President Trump in a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Florida, mere weeks after the FBI conducted a raid on his opulent Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022.
The raid unearthed a startling revelation: not only had the FBI seized over 300 classified documents, but they had also obtained thousands of other records, including Trump’s medical and tax files, as well as personal information. Sensing the gravity of the situation, Judge Cannon made the decision in September to appoint an independent special master to meticulously review these records.
Moreover, Cannon issued an instruction to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to suspend its own examination of the documents until the special master’s inquiry was concluded. This ruling caused an uproar among liberals, with some accusing Cannon of displaying favoritism towards Trump.
Disgraced former CBS anchor Dan Rather took to Twitter, exclaiming, “A Trump judge delivers for Trump in a big way. This may cause even more havoc and trouble if we delay now. Excellent news for Trump. It’s a major setback for responsibility. The media should delve deep into Trump’s attempts to politicize the federal judiciary.”
Federal prosecutors at the time argued that Trump had no legal standing to make his request and lacked the right to retain confidential materials if a special master was appointed.
Eventually, Trump and the DOJ settled on Raymond Dearie, a Reagan appointee and former chief judge of the federal court for the Eastern District of New York, as the special master on September 15. Judge Cannon officially appointed Dearie to the case. However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta ultimately granted the DOJ’s appeal, which had been filed the following day. Consequently, the DOJ’s investigation proceeded without granting Dearie access to the files.
On December 1, the appeal was upheld, effectively nullifying Cannon’s previous ruling.
Palm Beach County’s state attorney, Dave Aronberg, appeared on MSNBC and characterized the situation as a “smackdown.” He cited a document stating that Judge Cannon should never have had jurisdiction over the matter.
Recently, an indictment against Trump was unsealed, charging him with 37 felonies related to the alleged mishandling of confidential papers. Among the documents were a Pentagon “plan of attack” and a classified map connected to a military operation.
According to The New York Times, Trump appointed Cannon to the position in 2020. The court’s head clerk assured that the selection process was conducted randomly, adhering to standard procedures. Unless Judge Cannon recuses herself, her position remains permanent.
Mark Joseph Stern, a senior writer at Slate, expressed concerns that Cannon’s nomination could potentially jeopardize the DOJ’s prosecution of Trump. However, he described it as “excellent news” for the former president.
Opponents of Cannon wasted no time in demanding her recusal.
Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, during an interview with MSNBC host Jen Psaki, expressed his lack of confidence in Cannon’s ability to be fair or to be perceived as fair.
Michael Bromwich, the former Justice Department Inspector General, took to Twitter, stating, “This is bad news for everyone except Trump. A case of this magnitude requires an experienced, knowledgeable, and fair judge. Judge Cannon falls short on all counts. If she possesses any self-awareness, she should step aside.”
Prosecutors have the option to file an affidavit requesting Cannon’s recusal if they reasonably believe that her personal bias or prejudice may hinder fair proceedings. If the affidavit is deemed “sufficient,” Cannon will be obligated to resign. Additionally, she must resign if her impartiality is reasonably questioned by the parties involved or the public.
Born in Colombia in 1981, Cannon migrated to Miami with her family at a young age. She pursued her undergraduate studies at Duke University and obtained her law degree from the University of Michigan.
Cannon’s legal career included working as a law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in Des Moines, Iowa, as well as employment at various law firms, as outlined in her application for a federal judgeship.
Since her appointment in 2013, Cannon has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Fort Pierce.
In her application, Cannon disclosed her current membership in the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group she joined in 2005. The Federalist Society has been a consistent supporter of Trump’s judicial nominees, including Supreme Court justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
Cannon attributed her nomination to the Southern District of Florida to Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who approached her about the vacancy. Following a series of interviews, she received word from the White House nine months later that she was being considered for the nomination.
While Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump campaign for comment on the calls for Cannon’s recusal, no response was received.