Florida judge dismisses the Trump classified documents case
SUMMARY
Judge Aileen Cannon has dismissed the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump, citing the appointment and funding of special counsel Jack Smith as illegal. In her 93-page decision, Cannon, a Trump nominee, ruled that Smith's appointment was "unlawful" and ordered the case to be closed. Cannon argued that the appointments clause of the Constitution does not allow the Attorney General to appoint a private citizen without Senate confirmation to wield prosecutorial power. She noted that the Executive's reliance on appointing special counsels had become ad hoc and lacked judicial oversight. Trump's legal team had contended that Smith's appointment violated constitutional provisions and was an overreach of the Attorney General's authority. They stated that Smith, a private citizen at the time of his appointment, lacked the legal authority to prosecute the case.
