A group of ex-officials, law professors, and democracy groups are calling for the removal of Judge Aileen Cannon. They claim her decisions in Donald Trump’s classified documents case show potential bias.
The critics include former Republican officials like Rep. Tom Coleman and Governor Christine Todd Whitman. They want the case reassigned to a new judge by the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
A brief filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) accuses Cannon of showing favoritism towards Trump. The brief argues that her rulings suggest former presidents are treated differently under the law.
Judge Cannon ruled that the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was unlawful. She used this reasoning to throw out the entire case against Trump.
Cannon’s ruling contradicted decisions by other courts, which have upheld the appointment of special counsels. Even both Democratic and Republican administrations have supported similar appointments in politically sensitive cases.
Critics say Cannon’s rulings create the appearance that she is biased in favor of Trump. They point to her earlier decision, which temporarily blocked investigators from looking at documents seized from Mar-a-Lago.
The 11th Circuit rejected Cannon’s earlier ruling, calling it a radical departure from legal precedents. They also stated it violated the separation of powers.
In another brief, legal scholars criticized Cannon for stalling the case. They claimed she gave Trump’s lawyers unnecessary hearings, delaying the trial.
This is not the first time Judge Cannon’s role in the case has been criticized. Other judges previously suggested she should step aside to avoid controversy, but she refused.
Critics argue that Cannon’s involvement could undermine public trust in the judicial process. They believe her removal is necessary to ensure fairness in the case against Trump.
