The classified documents case against former President Donald Trump has just been dismissed by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon. The ruling, issued on Monday, cited the alleged illegal appointment and funding of special counsel Jack Smith as the primary reason for the dismissal.
The ruling, which spans 93 pages, argues that Jack Smith’s appointment and the funding for his office were unconstitutional.
“The Superseding Indictment is DISMISSED because Special Counsel Smith’s appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution,” Judge Cannon wrote in her decision.
The case, which has been a centerpiece of national attention, stemmed from allegations that Trump improperly retained sensitive government documents after leaving office. Federal investigators claimed to have recovered over 100 classified documents during a search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022.
The appointment of Jack Smith as special counsel was made by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022. Smith was asked to oversee the federal investigations into Trump’s document retention and efforts to overturn the election results of 2020.
Trump’s legal team had previously argued that Smith’s appointment violated the Constitution’s appointments clause. They contended that the Attorney General does not have the authority to appoint a private citizen to such a position without Senate confirmation.
Presently, Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling has potentially far-reaching implications. While it doesn’t immediately impact other cases against Trump, it raises questions about the validity of special counsel appointments in general. The decision is likely to be appealed to the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
Legal experts note that even if the appeals court were to overturn Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling, the delay caused by this decision effectively eliminates the possibility of the classified documents case going to trial before the upcoming election.
The White House has deferred comments on the matter to the Department of Justice. As of now, neither the Justice Department, the special counsel’s office, nor the Trump campaign have issued official responses to the ruling.