Former President Donald Trump is currently facing criminal charges for mishandling classified documents after leaving office in January 2021. The ongoing investigation, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, has been a topic of intense debate and controversy. In recent hearings, Judge Aileen Cannon presided over proceedings related to the case.
On June 24, 2024, Trump's legal team appeared in court to argue against the legality of Smith's appointment as special counsel. Emil Bove, one of Trump's attorneys, emphasized that his client's stake in the matter is due to the potential threat to liberty posed by a conviction.
Another point of contention during the hearing was Smith's budget for the investigation. Trump's team argued that an infinite budget was being used, while prosecutors maintained that it was within legal limits.
Meanwhile, Judge Cannon questioned Justice Department attorney James Pearce about the department's spending on Trump-related cases and sought guidance on explaining past special counsel appointments and their governing laws and regulations. She noted that financial disclosures were overdue.
In a separate hearing earlier in the day, Cannon addressed arguments regarding Trump's attempt to disqualify Smith from the case. The judge also considered motions to dismiss from Trump's legal team.
Smith was present at the courthouse but did not speak during the proceedings. The hearings will continue on Monday with potential gag orders against Trump.
The controversy surrounding Trump's handling of classified documents and his resistance to government attempts to retrieve them has been a significant issue since the FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago property in August 2022. This case is one of several criminal cases that Trump is currently facing while being the presumptive GOP nominee for 2024.
