Trump’s prosecutors thought they had it in the bag. But they’re fumbling the case.
And now the Trump prosecution case has been shut down by a Federal Judge uttering just five words.
Judge Aileen Cannon Challenges Special Counsel on Speech Restrictions for Trump
In a recent courtroom exchange, Judge Aileen Cannon expressed skepticism toward the speech restrictions that special counsel Jack Smith’s team sought to impose on former President Donald Trump. The restrictions were proposed due to concerns that Trump’s statements could pose dangers, but Cannon, appointed by Trump, seemed unconvinced by these arguments during Monday’s hearing.
Throughout the session, Cannon engaged in tense dialogues with prosecutor David Harbach. She questioned Harbach on the specifics of the threats allegedly incited by Trump’s words, leading to moments of friction. According to reports from CNN, Harbach’s demeanor turned “snippy,” prompting a stern rebuke from the judge.
“I don’t appreciate your tone,” Cannon said, advising Harbach to maintain “decorum.” She further suggested that another prosecutor could take over if Harbach struggled to argue the motion appropriately. Harbach later apologized, acknowledging his lapse in professionalism.
The special counsel’s team had recently filed a request for Cannon to alter Trump’s conditions of release in the classified documents case. They aimed to restrict Trump from making inflammatory statements about law enforcement officials involved in the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago residence. This request followed Trump’s stark claims that President Joe Biden was orchestrating a plot to kill him, referencing standard FBI policy language about the use of “lethal force” found in the search warrant.
Despite the FBI’s clarification that such language is routine, Trump’s public statements amplified these claims, alleging that the DOJ authorized the FBI to use deadly force against him.
In fundraising emails, Trump intensified his rhetoric, suggesting the government was eager to “shoot” him and posed a threat to his family. Prosecutors argued these assertions could incite extremists to target law enforcement officials involved in the case, jeopardizing their safety and potentially influencing trial witnesses.
The prosecutors’ motion emphasized that Trump’s statements misrepresented federal agents’ intentions, falsely suggesting a conspiracy to assassinate him, thereby exposing agents to threats and harassment. The prosecutors underscored the need to balance First Amendment rights with ensuring the safety of those involved in the judicial process.
In contrast, Trump’s defense team fiercely opposed the proposed speech restrictions, contending they infringe upon the former president’s constitutional rights and impede his ability to campaign for the 2024 election. Defense attorney Todd Blanche argued that Trump’s criticisms were aimed at Biden, not law enforcement, though he admitted that Trump’s remarks were questionable.
Judge Cannon, showing reservations about the prosecutors’ arguments, concluded the hearing without an immediate ruling. She allowed the prosecutors until Wednesday to establish a more concrete link between Trump’s comments and any serious threats they may have incited.
“There still needs to be a factual connection between A and B,” Cannon remarked, emphasizing the need for clear evidence of causation.
The Media Meltdown Reaction
Judge Cannon has been sounding favorable to Donald Trump’s legal defense multiple times in recent days, and that has media members who can’t stand the former president losing their minds. Many Leftists and RINOs are trying to drum up support for kicking Cannon out of the case, saying that she is somehow compromised.
Joe Scarborough on his show Morning Joe said that Cannon is outright lying in the case, which would be a federal offense, by the way. He has no evidence that Cannon is lying to play defense for Donald Trump.
“Judge Cannon knows what she’s saying is a lie, and yet she says it anyway from a position of a federal bench. Saying that Trump’s threats can’t cause any violence or threats of violence? Read the newspapers. That’s a lie on its face,” the MSNBC host said.
.@JoeNBC: "[Judge Cannon] knows what she's saying is a lie, and yet she says it anyway from a position of a federal bench. Saying that Trump's threats can't cause any violence or threats of violence? Read the newspapers. That's a lie on its face." https://t.co/12H7kwSTBJ pic.twitter.com/BdfUEBgk6y
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) June 25, 2024
So far, the case for Jack Smith and company has not been going well and that has many wondering if it’s only a matter of time before this case completely unravels and Donald Trump walks away unscathed.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
