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Federal judge indefinitely postpones Trump classified documents trial
(HTM) Source
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CNN —
Judge Aileen Cannon has indefinitely postponed former President Donald
Trump's classified documents trial in Florida, citing significant
issues around classified evidence that would need to be worked out
before the federal criminal case goes to a jury.
In an order Tuesday, Cannon cancelled the May trial date and did not
set a new date. While Trump was in criminal court Tuesday for his hush
money trial in New York, Cannon's move means there are no trial dates
currently set for the other three criminal cases against him.
By indefinitely postponing the classified documents trial, Cannon's
order pushes it closer to the 2024 election - and potentially
afterward.
The judge's new schedule lays out all the legal disputes that Cannon
must decide before a jury could hear the case. Cannon said that
process will take at least until late July of this year.
Cannon noted in her Tuesday order that there are eight substantive
pending motions she has yet to decide. She also reiterated that she
believes the national security mishandling allegations in the case
"present novel and difficult questions."
Though all parties agreed that the case wouldn't be ready to go before
a jury in May, prosecutors still pushed for a July trial date, while
Trump and his co-defendants proposed dates in August and September.
Although Trump's attorneys have continuously asserted in court filings
that a pre-election trial would be "unfair."
The further delayed trial also could put Trump's two federal cases on
a collision course.
In Washington, DC, the former president is charged with alleged crimes
he committed during his presidency to reverse the 2020 election
results. That case, also brought by special counsel Jack Smith's team,
has been on pause while the Supreme Court considers Trump's claims of
sweeping immunity. A decision from the high court is expected by July.
Trump is charged in the Florida case with mishandling classified
documents and with working with two co-defendants, Walt Nauta and
Carlos De Oliveira, to obstruct the Justice Department's
investigation. All three have pleaded not guilty.
Cannon said in her new scheduling order that she will hold a hearing
on what had been considered Trump's longshot request for records from
the Biden administration.
The hearing will start on June 24 and is scheduled to last three days.
The move by Cannon is a significant win for the presumptive 2024
Republican presidential nominee. The proceeding will give Trump and
his attorneys a platform to air unfounded theories about the
prosecution, including the accusation that it is politically
motivated.
Attorneys for Smith have vehemently denied allegations of political
bias and opposed the move to hold the hearing as unnecessary and
unjustified.
Cannon also scheduled a June 21 hearing on Trump's claims that Smith
was unlawfully appointed.
In his bid for records from the Biden administration, Trump has argued
that he is entitled to a broad swath of records from various federal
agencies, including from President Joe Biden's White House, because
Trump claims those agencies are effectively part of the prosecution
team.
Smith's office countered that Trump's theories were "baseless," that
the discovery request was "frivolous," and that the defense lawyers'
arguments had fallen well short of the high threshold for holding such
a proceeding.
_This story has been updated with additional information._
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