Judge Cannon Issues Huge Ruling In Trump’s Classified Document Case

Federal Judge Aileen Cannon, overseeing Trump’s classified documents case in Florida, denied Special Counsel Jack Smith’s motion to issue a gag order on Trump.

In the case, Trump’s lawyers argued that Jack Smith violated Local Rule 88.9, which states that “parties must meet and confer before flings motions so the court.”

Judge Cannon agreed with Trump’s counsel’s arguments, ruled against Jack Smith’s gag order request, and stated that Smith should not have filed the gag order motion without conferring with the defense first.

Cannon further ruled that if Special Counsel Jack Smith refuses to comply with Local Rule 88.9, he could be in danger of sanctions.

🚨 #BREAKING: Judge Cannon has DENIED deranged Jack Smith’s gag order request in Florida

GOOD! 🔥

Cannon says prosecutors’ failure to confer this issue before filing was “wholly lacking in substance and professional courtesy.”

Jack Smith just keep taking loss after loss, and… pic.twitter.com/V4ZHHgkHSA

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 28, 2024

🚨Just in: Judge Cannon has denied Jack Smith's proposed gag order. The Judge has warned sanctions could be next if he keeps violating the rules. pic.twitter.com/t7rYLQ3Xnn

— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) May 28, 2024

Here’s what Yahoo News reported:

The federal judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case denied the special counsel’s motion requesting that Trump be barred from making statements that could pose a significant risk to law enforcement.

Trump’s lawyers argued that the special counsel violated Local Rule 88.9, which says both parties must “meet and confer” before flings motions so the court and the parties’ time is used efficiently. In a filing Monday, Trump’s lawyers asked Cannon to strike the special counsel’s request and impose sanctions on any prosecutors involved in filing their motion

Judge Aileen Cannon said the special counsel’s “conferral” with Trump’s lawyers is “wholly lacking in substance and professional courtesy.”

Cannon agreed with Trump’s lawyers that the special counsel should not have filed such a motion without meaningfully conferring with the defense, as the local rules require.

The judge said a failure to comply with those requirements may result in sanctions.

BREAKING: Judge Aileen Cannon has just DENIED Jack Smith’s gag order request against Donald Trump in Florida. pic.twitter.com/4HN7ky8RrI

— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) May 28, 2024

Per The Hill:

Judge Aileen Cannon chastised special counsel Jack Smith’s team Tuesday after she said the lawyers failed to meaningfully reach out to former President Trump’s attorneys on a motion to limit his speech in the classified documents case after Trump claimed law enforcement had the power to assassinate him.
She likewise denied a motion from Trump’s legal team seeking to censure prosecutors over the matter.

Trump’s lawyers fired back Tuesday, after Smith asked the judge to put a stop to his false claims that FBI agents had a green light to assassinate him during their search for documents at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

A late Friday filing from the Justice Department pointed to what it deemed “several intentionally false and inflammatory statements” that violate existing limitations placed on Trump as part of his conditions of pretrial release.

Prosecutors — who, like Trump’s team, are required to confer with the other party before filing motions in the case — did not do so until 5:30 p.m. ahead of Memorial Day weekend.