Picture this – the judge handling the classified documents case involving Donald Trump is gearing up for something out of the ordinary in the courtroom. It’s been pointed out by a legal pro that Judge Aileen Cannon is about to dive into a one-of-a-kind situation. Who’s this legal guru? None other than former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance who took to her blog to spill the details on the upcoming legal showdown with the ex-president and his crew.
So, what’s the scoop? Well, mark your calendars for June 21. That’s when Cannon will be all ears for arguments from folks not directly linked to the federal case. They’ll be throwing down the gauntlet, claiming that Special Counsel Jack Smith got his appointment in a shady way from Attorney General Merrick Garland without the Senate’s stamp of approval.
This unexpected move to involve outside voices has raised eyebrows among legal experts. Cannon has pressed pause on the federal classified documents trial as she mulls over a bunch of hearings and requests to throw out aspects of the case.
The decision to push back the trial, which was supposed to kick off in May, means that Trump likely won’t face a jury on the 40 federal charges before the November election.
In her blog “Civil Discourse,” Vance spilled the tea on the June 21 hearing, saying, “Judge Cannon has carved out a chunk of time for arguments, even going the extra mile by inviting ‘friends of the court’—lawyers not directly involved in the case—to weigh in.”
Vance, the trailblazing first female U.S. attorney under Obama’s administration, also pointed out that past attempts to boot a Special Counsel out of their role based on validity concerns didn’t go far.
Now, who’s up for bat in claiming Smith’s appointment was fishy? None other than Edwin Meese, who served as attorney general under Ronald Reagan. Back in 1986, Meese appointed Lawrence Walsh to investigate the infamous Iran-Contra scandal. When this appointment was challenged, the court gave it the nod in 1987.
“Even though the rules Meese followed aren’t carbon copies of what Garland used, they tread on the same legal ground that shaped the Special Counsel playbook since 1999,” Vance explained. “So it’s quite the twist that Meese is now calling out Merrick Garland’s authority to appoint Jack Smith.”
Meese hasn’t released a statement yet, but stay tuned. Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg was quick to fire shots at Cannon’s “highly unusual” move to open the floor to external voices unconnected to the classified documents issue at the June 21 hearing.
Trump has denied all wrongdoing in the face of 40 charges alleging he squirreled away classified info post-presidency and blocked attempts by the feds to get it back.