Aileen Cannon Is Exactly who Critics Feared She Was

Saturday, June 22, 2024

David A. Graham: One year ago, when former President Donald Trump was indicted on charges related to his hoarding of classified documents, the case was randomly assigned to Aileen Cannon, a federal judge for the Southern District of Florida. Cannon's selection immediately stirred up worries. She had little trial experience, having been appointed to the bench at just 39. She was an appointee of Trump himself. And she had already raised concerns with her rulings in favor of Trump in a precursor to the case, which were later reversed by a sharply critical appeals court.

Posted by tonyroma at 03:30 PM | 27 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Best case: she's inexperienced and incompetent
Worst case: she's corrupt
Plausible case: she's inexperienced, incompetent, and corrupt.

#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-06-22 01:45 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 4

"She had little trial experience, having been appointed to the bench at just 39."

Same pedigree as Brett Kavanaugh...

Deplorables really don't think you need experience to be successful in life.
Deplorables really don't understand the reason they have that belief is white privilege.

#2 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-06-22 01:50 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

One colleague argued to Cannon that it would be better for a judge in Miami, rather than her satellite Fort Pierce courthouse, to deal with the case, in part because the Miami courthouse has a facility for sensitive documents, the paper reported. When Cannon demurred, the chief judge of the district called her and argued that her reversed decision earlier meant that her having this case would look bad. She again declined to hand it off.

Whether Cannon's colleagues were concerned about inexperience or bias is not clear from the reporting, but what is striking is that they seem to have reached the same conclusion that many outsiders did at the time and later: Cannon has no business presiding over the case.

The trial was once scheduled to begin in May; now no tentative date even exists. She's also ruled against prosecutors again and again. Even when Cannon has ultimately rejected defense claims, she has first held hearings on matters that few judges are willing to entertain.

The case is crawling forward at the same time that the Supreme Court has been dilatory in ruling on Trump's argument that he should be immune to prosecution for acts taken as president - a claim that could upend his federal indictment for subverting the 2020 election. And just as no mechanism exists to speed up the justices, prosecutors have little recourse with Cannon.

In the future I surely hope that Congress passes a law that prohibits any federal judge who was appointed to their position by the President to adjudicate any case involving that President. The days of believing that judicial nominees themselves will always be impartial from the bench is over. This is the result of ignoring the professional recommendations of the ABA and other legal peer groups as to the professional worthiness of judicial nominees based on their legal histories and backgrounds. Only the best and brightest should occupy lifetime seats on our judiciaries, not politically in-the-tank hacks and jurists willing to bend the processes of law to points of relative absurdity when compared to the historical precedence of procedures and conduct.

#3 | Posted by tonyroma at 2024-06-22 01:56 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 4

She's going to be removed by the 11th circuit.
It's just a matter of when.

#4 | Posted by a_monson at 2024-06-22 04:40 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

The incompetent idiot Cannon's head is so far up Dotard's overly ample stanky behind that she found Clearance's RV keys, Alito's treason flag, and Sean Hanutty.

#5 | Posted by _Gunslinger_ at 2024-06-22 05:53 PM | Reply | Funny: 5

Someone who would get the libs seething because they don't have complete control over her.

#6 | Posted by THEBULL at 2024-06-23 01:04 PM | Reply

Look at who she's protecting.

Joe Biden as Vice-President.
8 years
0 investigations
0 indictments
0 convictions

Joe Biden as Senator.
36 years
0 investigations
0 indictments
0 convictions

Barack Obama as President (or ever).
8 years
0 investigations
0 indictments
0 convictions

The entire Obama/Biden administration:
8 years
0 indictments
0 convictions

Donald Trump as President:
43 individuals from the Trump admin, campaign, and org have been criminally indicted!!! With 19 CONVICTIONS (so far).
Indicted: Donald J. Trump
Indicted: Allen Weisselberg CFO
Indicted: Paul Manafort, campaign chief
Indicted: Steve Bannon, senior advisor
Indicted: Roger Stone, senior advisor
Indicted: Rick Gates, campaign mgr
Indicted: George Nader
Indicted: Mike Flynn
Indicted: Peter Navarro
Indicted: Michael Roman
Indicted: George Papadopolous
Indicted: Rudy Giuliani, attorney
Indicted: John Eastman, attorney
Indicted: Jeffrey Clark, attorney
Indicted: Sidney Powell, attorney
Indicted: Ken Chesebro, attorney
Indicted: Boris Epshteyn, attorney
Indicted: Michael Cohen, attorney
Indicted: James Troupis, attorney
Indicted: Jenna Ellis, attorney
Indicted: Sam Patten
Indicted: Elliot Broidy
Indicted: Richard Pinedo
Indicted: Tom Barrack
Indicted: Alex van der Zwaan
Indicted: Lev Parnas
Indicted: Igor Frumen
Indicted: Waltine Nuata
Indicted: Carlos de Oliveira
Convicted: Donald J. Trump
Convicted: Allen Weisselberg, CFO
Convicted: Paul Manafort
Convicted: Steve Bannon
Convicted: Roger Stone
Convicted: Rick Gates
Convicted: Mike Flynn
Convicted: Peter Navarro
Convicted: George Papadopolous
Convicted: Jenna Ellis, attorney
Convicted: Sidney Powell, attorney
Convicted: Ken Chesebro, attorney
Convicted: Michael Cohen, attorney
Convicted: Sam Patten
Convicted: Elliot Broidy
Convicted: Richard Pinedo
Convicted: Alex van der Zwaan
Convicted: Lev Parnas
Convicted: Igor Frumen
Found liable: Trump University (fraud)
Found liable: Trump Foundation (fraud)
Found liable: Trump Org (fraud)
Found liable: Donald J Trump (sexual abuse, defamation, business fraud).
Russians indicted by Republican special counsel Robert Mueller (because the Russians were helping Trump in the '16 election):
Indicted: Konstantin Kilimnik
Indicted: Maria Valeryevna Butina
Indicted: Yevgeny Prigozhin
Indicted: 12 Russian GRU officers
Indicted: "Internet Research Agency".

Donald Trump and his administration: Over 335 criminal charges... and counting!
(updated 6/24)

#7 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2024-06-23 01:10 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Could someone with better understanding of the system tell me how Cannon got this case anyway? Were there no other Federal Judges available in that district? Having been appointed by Trump, I honestly don't understand how she wasn't immediately ineligible.

I actually do think our judicial system may be corrupt. But not in the way the right parrots that it's corrupt.

#8 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2024-06-23 05:33 PM | Reply

#8. The same could be said about Juan Merchan. But for opposite reasons.

#9 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-06-23 05:39 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

#9 - No it couldn't. Not by any sane human that has a little bit of understanding about what's gone on in the two courtrooms.

False equivalencies day after day from you. "Both sides" day after day from you. Lies from you, day after day. And you know why? Because the foundation you rest on is nothing but lies.

#10 | Posted by YAV at 2024-06-23 05:43 PM | Reply

That's quite the rebuttal, Yav. You could have saved some keystrokes and simply typed, "Nuh uh!"

#11 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-06-23 06:10 PM | Reply

I was looking for an honest answer. Not some BS whataboutism.

#12 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2024-06-23 06:58 PM | Reply

Smith had the option of filing in DC but chose S Fl because he didnt want to have to fight a change of venue motion (cause of the delay-HA).

Smith appears to have messed up where he filed, maybe, the districts in S Fl are a tad confusing, but where he filed (Fort Pierce I think-where cannon is the only judge, which is combined with Palm Beach) he ended up with 3 possible judges. The GJ that heard the evidence was in Miami, but for some reason the case was considered a Palm Beach case.

#13 | Posted by truthhurts at 2024-06-23 07:11 PM | Reply

" I was looking for an honest answer. Not some BS whataboutism.

#12 | POSTED BY WHATSLEFT AT 2024-06-23 06:58 PM | REPLY | FLAG:"

You missed the point. That she's a Trump appointee does not automatically disqualify her as a judge on a case against Trump.

#14 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-06-23 08:20 PM | Reply

Her lack of experience and delaying tactics certainly do.

#15 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2024-06-23 08:33 PM | Reply

You missed the point. That she's a Trump appointee does not automatically disqualify her as a judge on a case against Trump.

#14 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Her grand total of 14 hours adjudicating routine criminal cases should disqualify her from hearing one of the most momentous trials in our country's history.

An honest person would admit that.

#16 | Posted by truthhurts at 2024-06-23 08:38 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

" Her lack of experience and delaying tactics certainly do.

#15 | POSTED BY ALEXANDRITE AT 2024-06-23 08:33 PM | FLAG: "

Delaying tactics? It's not her fault the prosecution tampered with evidence.

#17 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-06-23 08:48 PM | Reply

#14

She should be disqualified because of her obvious stall tactics to keep the person who appointed her from ever going to trial.

#18 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2024-06-23 08:50 PM | Reply

Delaying tactics? It's not her fault the prosecution tampered with evidence.

#17 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Liar

#19 | Posted by truthhurts at 2024-06-23 08:50 PM | Reply

"The same could be said about Juan Merchan."

Not until he's been reversed at least twice.

#20 | Posted by Danforth at 2024-06-23 09:13 PM | Reply

Delaying tactics? It's not her fault the prosecution tampered with evidence.

You just proved you're clueless about what she's been doing. Utterly and completely clueless. And that's the best option. The other one is you're deliberately lying.

#21 | Posted by YAV at 2024-06-23 10:00 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

So, apparently Yav believes the prosecution can just tamper with evidence and a case against one of their politIcal rivals should just move forward at light speed with impunity.

You lefties are the reason the Bill of Rights was created.

#22 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-06-23 11:20 PM | Reply

When is Cannon going to ask the putrid orange pedo what he did with the missing Russia binder?

#23 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2024-06-23 11:57 PM | Reply

#9 | Posted by BellRinger

Wow this is so much worse than your usual false equivalence.
First Merchan was not appointed by Biden and two, Biden is not the one on trial.
So in other words the two situations have absolutely nothing in common.

#24 | Posted by TFDNihilist at 2024-06-24 07:47 AM | Reply

So, apparently Yav believes the prosecution can just tamper with evidence and a case against one of their politIcal rivals should just move forward at light speed with impunity.

When you can't argue the facts, when you can't deal with the truth, when you're called on ridiculous false equivalencies and botherisms, you always have strawman fallacies to fall back on.

Your entire world is built on logical fallacies and lies.

Get a clue already.

#25 | Posted by YAV at 2024-06-24 11:59 AM | Reply

You lefties are the reason the Bill of Rights was created.

#22 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Yep. Lefties found for individual rights that the Righties couldn't take away. Good job Jeff.

#26 | Posted by Sycophant at 2024-06-24 03:15 PM | Reply

So, apparently Yav believes the prosecution can just tamper with evidence and a case against one of their politIcal rivals should just move forward at light speed with impunity.
You lefties are the reason the Bill of Rights was created.

#22 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER AT 2024-06-23 11:20 PM | REPLY

You're such a schmuck and liar. I guess that's all of the mentality you have. Sad.

#27 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2024-06-24 03:35 PM | Reply