Washington: In a major relief to former President of the USA Donald Trump, a judge in the US state of Florida, on Monday, dismissed the criminal case against him. The criminal case accused him of mishandling classified information and found that the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was ‘unconstitutional.’
Judge Sides With Defence Lawyers
The federal judge presiding over the classified documents case sided with defence lawyers who said the special counsel who filed the charges was illegally appointed.
Abrupt Conclusion To The Case?
The decision by US District Judge Aileen Cannon brought an abrupt conclusion to a criminal case that at the time it was filed was widely regarded as the most perilous of all the legal threats that the Republican former president confronted.
Trump Faces Dozens of Felony Counts
Trump faced dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back.
Defence Lawyers File Multiple Challenges To The Case
Defence lawyers filed multiple challenges to the case, including a legally technical one that asserted that special counsel Jack Smith had been illegally appointed under the Constitution’s Appointments Clause, which governs the appointment of certain government positions, and that his office was improperly funded by the Justice Department.
Framers Gave Congress Pivotal Role in Appointment of Officials
Cannon, whose handling of the case had drawn scrutiny since before the charges were even filed, agreed, writing in a 93-page order, “The Framers gave Congress a pivotal role in the appointment of principal and inferior officers. That role cannot be usurped by the Executive Branch or diffused elsewhere — whether in this case or in another case, whether in times of heightened national need or not.”
“Proper Correction Would Not Be To Dismiss Entire Case…”
Smith’s team had vigorously contested the argument during hearings before Cannon last month and told him that even if ruled in the defence team’s favour, the proper correction would not be to dismiss the entire case.
A spokesman for the Smith team did not immediately return a request seeking comment, and the Trump team did not immediately have a comment. (with AP inputs)
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