Trump’s Cases Update: Document Charges Dismissed

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed former President Donald Trump’s criminal charges related to the mishandling of White House documents on Monday, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal battles against him. This decision is the latest setback in a series of legal issues Trump is facing, with all four cases encountering substantial problems or delays.

On Monday, Judge Cannon, a Trump appointee, dismissed 40 felony charges against Trump, ruling that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was improper. However, prosecutors are anticipated to appeal this ruling to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in an attempt to reinstate the case. This decision is critical as it could reshape the trajectory of the classified documents case, which involves allegations of mishandling sensitive government materials.

The federal case concerning Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election is expected to resume on Friday. The Supreme Court recently ruled that Trump cannot be charged for actions related to his “official acts” as president, leading to a pause in proceedings since December. Before the trial can proceed, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan must determine which parts of the indictment relate to “unofficial acts” that can still be prosecuted. This determination may delay the trial and narrow the scope of the indictment against Trump.

Trump has been convicted on 34 felony counts related to hush money payments made before the 2016 election. His sentencing has been postponed until September after Trump challenged the verdict, citing the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling and arguing that certain evidence should have been excluded from the trial. This postponement reflects ongoing disputes over the evidence and legal arguments presented.

Trump’s case in Georgia, involving allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, is currently on hold. An appeals court is considering whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified due to an allegedly improper relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade. The court will not hear arguments on this issue until October, making it likely that the trial will be delayed until next year.

If Trump were to win the upcoming election, it could influence the progress of his legal cases. None of the three cases not yet at trial are expected to reach trial before the election. Should Trump be elected, he could appoint officials to the Justice Department who might drop charges related to the federal election case and the classified documents case if it’s revived. However, Trump’s presidency would not affect the state-level cases directly. He could, however, request delays in the Georgia case or seek to postpone any sentence in the New York hush money case.

The Supreme Court’s recent immunity ruling, while specifically addressing the federal election case, is expected to influence all of Trump’s criminal proceedings. Trump has claimed immunity in the Georgia case as well, and this claim will need to be resolved before the case can proceed. Cannon did not address immunity in the documents case before dismissing it, but if the 11th Circuit revives the case, Trump is expected to argue that he had presidential immunity due to his decision to “declassify” documents he brought to Mar-a-Lago.

Trump, who has pleaded not guilty in all of his cases, called for the dismissal of all charges against him. On Truth Social, he described Cannon’s ruling as a “first step” and urged for an end to the “weaponization” of the justice system, adding a call to “Make America Great Again.”

Legal experts have criticized Judge Cannon’s dismissal of the charges. Former Attorney General Eric Holder labeled the ruling as “so bereft of legal reasoning as to be utterly absurd.” CNN legal analyst Norm Eisen described it as “a blatant distortion of the law,” while NYU law professor Harry Rosenblum called it “bonkers,” accusing Cannon of “just making things up.”

Trump faces a total of 91 felony charges across his four criminal cases, with the potential for up to $11.2 million in fines and more than 700 years in prison if convicted on all counts and sentenced to the maximum extent. Besides Cannon’s dismissal of the documents case, six charges against Trump were dropped in Georgia in March. Trump has consistently sought to have the charges dismissed and delays in the proceedings, initially failing in these efforts. With ongoing disputes over immunity and legal challenges, his attempts have gained some traction, leading to postponed trial dates and procedural setbacks.