Judge Cannon drops a bombshell after being told to stop

Judge Aileen Cannon, who presided over the case involving confidential documents from former President Donald Trump, chose to remain in charge despite private requests from federal judges for her to step aside. Concerns arose because of her limited trial experience and previous intervention in the criminal investigation in Trump’s favor, which was later overturned by a conservative appeals court. Among the requests was one from Cecilia Altonaga, chief judge for the Southern District of Florida.

Cannon has been criticized for her handling of the case, including delaying preliminary motions and postponing the trial despite both sides being willing to proceed. This has led to speculation that Trump’s legal team could successfully push for a delay in the trial until after the November election. If Trump is reelected, he could potentially order the Justice Department to drop the case.

Cannon’s assignment raised concerns about her abilities and perceived bias, given her previous intervention in the investigation. Lawyers in the Southern District of Florida noted that she broke with common practice by not delegating certain pretrial requests to a more experienced magistrate, such as Judge Bruce Reinhart, who authorized the FBI raid on Mar-a- Lago in 2022 to retrieve classified documents from Trump’s residence.

Despite being urged to pass the case on to a lawyer closer to the Miami courthouse, Cannon, the only federal judge in the Fort Pierce courthouse at the time without a classified records facility, decided to stay the case. A sensitive compartmentalized information facility has since been built there.

Altonaga’s appeal highlighted the potential negative perception of Cannon handling the trial due to her previous involvement in the case, in which she appointed a special captain to review the seized documents, a decision later reversed by an appeals court.

Cannon’s unwillingness to step aside has sparked criticism, with some claiming she is either overwhelmed by the case or supporting Trump. As a judge appointed by Trump and confirmed by the Senate, she has a lifetime term and may choose to ignore advice from more experienced lawyers.