Florida Judge Dismisses Trump Classified Documents Case

In a significant development, a Florida judge has dismissed the Justice Department’s classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. The decision comes shortly after an assassination attempt on Trump.

Judge Aileen Cannon granted Trump’s motion to dismiss the federal case, citing that the appointment of Special Prosecutor Jack Smith violated the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This ruling marks a substantial victory for Trump, who had pleaded not guilty to several charges related to his handling of classified documents, including the willful retention of national defense information.

The case revolved around the discovery of dozens of classified files at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, found in various locations such as a shower and storage room, after he left the White House in 2021.

In her 93-page order, Judge Cannon stated, “The Court is convinced that Special Counsel’s Smith’s prosecution of this action breaches two structural cornerstones of our constitutional scheme—the role of Congress in the appointment of constitutional officers, and the role of Congress in authorizing expenditures by law.”

Trump faced 40 felony counts over his alleged mishandling of classified documents. However, Judge Cannon clarified that her decision applies only to this case and not to a second case overseen by Special Prosecutor Smith regarding alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Recently, Judge Cannon had indefinitely postponed the federal classified documents trial, citing significant questions over trial evidence.

Her decision comes as Republicans gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the Republican National Convention, where Trump will be officially named the party’s nominee for president later this week.

Following this dismissal, Mr. Smith has the option to appeal the ruling and request a new judge to be assigned to the case. So far, Mr. Smith has not publicly commented on the ruling.

Former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform on Monday to express his sentiments and broader demands. Trump declared that the dismissal “should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts.