Judge Aileen Cannon Dismisses Trump Classified Documents Case: Unconstitutional Appointment of Special Counsel

Miami, Florida United States of America
Born in Cali, Colombia and raised in Miami. Attended Duke University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School.
Cannon ruled Smith's appointment was unconstitutional under the Appointments Clause.
Clerked for the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals, joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher before joining US Attorney's Office as a federal prosecutor in 2013.
Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed Trump's classified documents case on July 15, 2024.
Nominated to fill vacated seat and confirmed to federal bench in November 2020.
Judge Aileen Cannon Dismisses Trump Classified Documents Case: Unconstitutional Appointment of Special Counsel

Florida Federal Judge Aileen Cannon, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump and confirmed to the federal bench in 2020, made headlines on July 15, 2024 when she dismissed the case against Trump over his handling of classified documents. The dismissal came after Special Counsel Jack Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the matter. Cannon ruled that Smith's appointment was unconstitutional under the Appointments Clause, which gives only Congress or the president the authority to appoint a special counsel.

Born in Cali, Colombia, and raised in Miami, Cannon attended Duke University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. After graduating from law school, she clerked for the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Des Moines, Iowa. She later joined the Los Angeles law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher before joining the US Attorney's Office in Miami as a federal prosecutor in 2013.

Trump applauded the dismissal and called for all other cases against him to also be dropped. However, Special Counsel Smith intends to appeal the decision. The Department of Justice had no immediate comment on the matter.

Cannon's ruling closely tracked the reasoning outlined by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in a recent concurrence in a separate case against Trump. The special counsel's case centered on Trump taking classified documents to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and refusing to return them to the government.

The dismissal of the case adds months to the investigation, as an appeal would go to the Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. The ruling deviates from previous courts that have upheld the constitutionality of special counsels and their appointment by attorneys general.

Here are some key facts about Judge Aileen Cannon:

  • Born in Cali, Colombia, in 1981 to a Cuban mother and a father from Indiana. She was raised in Miami and attended Ransom Everglades, the exclusive private school where she wrote more than a dozen articles for the student newspaper el Nuevo Herald.
  • Attended Duke University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School.
  • Interned at el Nuevo Herald during her time at Duke and later clerked for the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Des Moines, Iowa. She later joined the Los Angeles law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher before joining the US Attorney's Office in Miami as a federal prosecutor in 2013.
  • Nominated to fill the seat vacated by Judge Kenneth Marra and confirmed to the federal bench in November 2020 at the age of 39.

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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • It's unclear if Cannon's reasoning will be upheld in the Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
  • The ruling deviates from previous courts upholding special counsels and their appointment by attorneys general.

Sources

95%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Judge dismisses Trump documents case over special counsel appointment

National Public Radio (NPR) Monday, 15 July 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Trump applauded the dismissal and called for all other cases against him to also be dropped.
  • Accuracy
    • Judge Cannon's ruling was based on the argument that only Congress or the president have the authority to appoint a special counsel under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.
    • Judge Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional under the Appropriations Clause.
    • The case against Trump centered on highly sensitive national secrets and had significant evidence of alleged obstruction, making it the one he most feared.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

94%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Judge dismisses Trump classified documents case

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Michelle Shen, Monday, 15 July 2024 14:12
  • Unique Points
    • Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the classified documents case against Donald Trump
    • Judge Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional under the Appropriations Clause
    • The way in which Smith was funded is also unlawful according to Cannon
  • Accuracy
    • Cannon leaned on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurrence in Trump’s immunity ruling
  • Deception (80%)
    The article does not make any overtly deceptive statements. However, it does engage in selective reporting by only presenting the judge's ruling that the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional and ignoring other aspects of the case. The article also uses emotional manipulation by implying that Trump's case is one of the strongest criminal cases brought against him last year, even though it may not be. Additionally, there are some instances of editorializing in phrases like 'surprising end' and 'embrace a longshot legal theory'.
    • The article selectively reports on the judge's ruling, ignoring other aspects of the case.
    • The article implies that Trump's classified documents case is one of the strongest criminal cases brought against him last year.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

5 things to know about Florida judge who dismissed Trump’s classified documents case

Miami Herald Milena Malaver Monday, 15 July 2024 23:37
  • Unique Points
    • Judge Aileen Cannon was born in Cali, Colombia, and raised in Miami.
    • She attended Duke University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School.
    • Cannon interned at el Nuevo Herald during her time at Duke and wrote more than a dozen articles for the publication.
    • After graduating from law school, she clerked for the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Des Moines, Iowa, and later joined the Los Angeles law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
    • In 2013, Cannon joined the US Attorney’s Office in Miami as a federal prosecutor.
    • She was nominated to fill the seat vacated by Judge Kenneth Marra and confirmed to the federal bench in November 2020 at the age of 39.
  • Accuracy
    • Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case against former president Donald Trump over his handling of classified documents in Florida, stating the appointment of a special counsel by the US attorney general was unconstitutional.
    • Judge Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith's appointment was unconstitutional under the Appropriations Clause.
    • Cannon dismissed the case based on a legal theory that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

93%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Special counsel Jack Smith to appeal Trump classified documents case

Fox News Media Stepheny Price, Monday, 15 July 2024 23:37
  • Unique Points
    • Special counsel Jack Smith intends to appeal the dismissal of the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump
    • Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case against Trump for handling of classified documents on grounds that appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional
  • Accuracy
    • Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case against former President Donald Trump on grounds that appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional
    • Judge Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith's appointment was unconstitutional under the Appropriations Clause
    • Cannon interned at el Nuevo Herald during her time at Duke and wrote more than a dozen articles for the publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

76%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Dismissal draws new scrutiny to Judge Cannon’s handling of Trump case

The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Justin Jouvenal Monday, 15 July 2024 21:59
  • Unique Points
    • Judge Cannon dismissed the case based on a legal theory that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed, a theory that has gained traction in conservative legal circles but remains an outlier rejected by a handful of other judges who have considered it.
    • Cannon sided with Trump who argued that the Constitution does not permit Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel without Senate confirmation.
  • Accuracy
    • Judge Cannon dismissed the case based on a legal theory that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed.
    • Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional under the Appropriations Clause.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains editorializing and pontification by the author Justin Jouvenal. The author expresses his own opinions about the legal scholars' views on the case and calls some rulings 'breathtakingly misguided'. He also uses emotional language such as 'seismic ruling' to describe Cannon's decision. Additionally, there is selective reporting of information, as the article focuses on Cannon's dismissal of the indictment and does not mention any potential issues with Trump's actions or the evidence against him.
    • It is wrong on the law and must be appealed immediately. This is further evidence that Judge Cannon cannot handle this case impartially and must be reassigned.
    • Future Supreme Court Justice Cannon.
    • This is a seismic ruling.
  • Fallacies (80%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting legal scholars and experts in the field. However, the author also provides their own analysis and interpretation of the ruling, which goes beyond reporting on the fallacy itself. Therefore, I cannot give a perfect score.
    • ][Turley] called the ruling a 'three-point shot' for Trump. She ruled not on the merits of the case, but on the legality of the Justice Department’s appointment of a special counsel to oversee it. Turley was referring to recent decisions by the high court that prosecutors improperly used an obstruction charge to prosecute hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters and that Trump had broad presidential immunity from prosecution. No other justice joined Thomas in that opinion.
  • Bias (80%)
    The author, Justin Jouvenal, expresses no overt bias in the article. However, there are several instances where he quotes legal scholars and politicians expressing strong opinions about Judge Cannon's ruling. While these opinions are relevant to the story and do not necessarily reflect bias on the part of the author, they could be perceived as skewing towards a particular perspective. The author also uses language like 'seismic ruling,' 'breathtakingly misguided ruling,' and 'outlier' to describe Cannon's decision, which could be seen as implying that the ruling is extreme or unusual in a negative way. However, these words are commonly used in legal reporting to describe significant rulings, so it is not clear that they represent bias on the part of the author.
    • It is wrong on the law and must be appealed immediately. This is further evidence that Judge Cannon cannot handle this case impartially and must be reassigned.
      • This is a seismic ruling. The Florida case was the greatest threat to Trump.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication