As I noted yesterday, an increasing number of legal experts have become worried about Judge Aileen Cannon’s seeming devotion to Donald Trump, especially concerning the classified documents case in Florida. And now she’s given them one more reason to worry: She has ordered special counsel Jack Smith to turn over controversial information that will give Donald Trump access to unredacted FBI witness interviews that could conceivably appear on the public docket.
I don’t have to tell you why this is a bad idea, do I?
Cannon had earlier paused the decision, one that Smith had condemned as a “clear error,” but now she’s gone full steam ahead and ordered him to give the information to Trump, Walt Nauta, and other defendants in the case, Raw Story reports.
Smith has been voicing concerns over the threats witnesses may face and we already know what some crazed Trump supporters are capable of, so his worries are understandable. The court filing, however, found there was an “insufficient basis” to “deviate from the adversarial process in this instance.”
New filing: "U.S. v. Trump (mar-a-lago docs)"
Doc #299: PAPERLESS ORDER redesignating ex parte sealed filing 296 as sealed filing only. Upon in camera review of the subject attachment, and mindful of the…[full entry below 👇]
PDF: https://t.co/82knWE8PGB#CL67490070 pic.twitter.com/FZo3Bil30k
— Big Cases Bot (@big_cases) February 9, 2024
Legal analyst and MSNBC host Katie Phang also picked up the filing and noted “In the MAL case, Judge Cannon has entered the following order wherein she keeps a Government exhibit sealed, for now, but orders Special Counsel, Jack Smith, to turn it over to Defendants Trump, Nauta, and De Oliveira on or before February 10th.”
In the MAL case, Judge Cannon has entered the following order wherein she keeps a Government exhibit sealed, for now, but orders Special Counsel, Jack Smith, to turn it over to Defendants Trump, Nauta, and De Oliveira on or before February 10th. pic.twitter.com/KgHRJzHfwn
— Katie Phang (@KatiePhang) February 9, 2024
I don’t know if Smith has any legal recourse, but I’m hoping he does, given the minuscule amount of time he’s been given to turn over the information. Trump is a dangerous man with a lot of dangerous followers and frankly, this is scary. I’m worried for the safety of those that this may concern especially after the tragedy of January 6, 2021, which was caused by Trump and more than 2,000 of his crazed supporters, many of them heavily armed.
Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance and other legal experts are wondering if Cannon can be recused from this case, and quite honestly, I hope that’s possible. I’m no legal expert but this judge is definitely biased in favor of Trump and by forcing Smith to turn this over, this could become dangerous.
As a child born in 1953…I followed Dr. King and Malcolm X until Malcolm was murdered in 1965 and King in 1968. Each broke my heart because I truly didn’t know which way I would have gone if I and my children were under such murderous and unjustifiable evil. I don’t believe in violence, but having grown up in a violent home, I vowed never to passively allow someone to hurt me or anyone I loved. I also became fascinated by WW2 and spent hours looking at all the books that had pictures, many horrible and grotesque. Having five uncles that served in that war, knowing them all, it just fueled my curiosity as to what they had faced. I also had to face that decision many times in the joint due to daily threats of violence by dangerous men. I would not have survived if I hadn’t become a dangerous man myself. Act like prey among predators and YOU WILL BE! If I were any of these witnesses, I would take appropriate measures to defend my family, and if I received threats, the last thing I would give back is being afraid. I would take whatever action the situation warranted. I realize many believe this is the wrong approach, but, for most people, violence is philosophical. If my sweet religious mother hadn’t put two 38 slugs into the father, I also loved, she would have been killed at age 50 instead of living to 87. Sometimes you face a decision that isn’t philosophical but real. Every solider lying in Arlington faced it as has every combat solider that bought our freedom. These witnesses are in the crosshairs of a nazi. Plan accordingly is my advice. The police are useless…they only show up AFTER THE SHIT GOES DOWN! I know from personal experience.
Fire the Cannon!
Smith needs to APPEAL. Trump and his lackeys aren’t the only ones who can use the appeals process. Take it to the 11th Circuit and get them to slap this “ignorant slut” (to borrow from Dan Aykroyd’s standard retort to Jane Curtin on their “Weekend Update Point/Counterpoint” bit; no matter how well-reasoned Curtin’s position was, Aykroyd’s response would begin with “Jane, you ignorant slut”) once more.