A Florida judge, appointed by Donald Trump, has dismissed the criminal case against the former president regarding the mishandling of top-secret documents, citing improper appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith.
This ruling is a significant victory for Trump, who was accused of compromising national security by retaining classified documents after his presidency.
Judge Aileen Cannon issued the decision following arguments from Trump’s lawyers, who sought a partial stay of proceedings to evaluate a Supreme Court ruling that grants broad immunity to former presidents from prosecution.
“Former President Trump’s Motion to Dismiss Indictment Based on the Unlawful Appointment and Funding of Special Counsel Jack Smith is GRANTED,” Judge Cannon wrote in her order.
“The Superseding Indictment is DISMISSED because Special Counsel Smith’s appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.”
This development coincides with Trump’s imminent nomination as the Republican candidate at the upcoming Republican National Convention, shortly after surviving an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
In this Florida case, Trump faced 31 counts of “willful retention of national defense information,” each carrying a potential 10-year prison sentence. Additionally, he was charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements.
The accusations against Trump included keeping classified documents—containing sensitive information from the Pentagon and CIA—unsecured at his Mar-a-Lago residence and obstructing efforts to recover them.
