How Trump’s 'beloved federal judge' has put all of his criminal trials 'in limbo': report

Aileen Cannon, the Donald Trump-appointed judge assigned to special counsel Jack Smith's Mar-a-Lago documents case, has been drawing vehement criticism for actions that will delay that trial. Norman Orenstein of the conservative American Enterprise Institute think tank has even called for her impeachment and said she might as well be a "member of Trump's defense team."

In an article published on November 20, the Daily Beast's Jose Pagliery stresses that Cannon's actions could affect Trump's other criminal trials as well.

"When Donald Trump's beloved federal judge issued yet another head-turning order this week to throw the upcoming Mar-a-Lago classified documents trial into limbo," Pagliery explains, "she actually did him an even bigger favor: She created chaos that can spill over into his other legal battles ahead of the 2024 election. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has pushed back what might have been a one- or two-day meeting with prosecutors to review classified documents until February."

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Pagliery continues, "On Thursday, (November 16), she also refused to even schedule a court hearing to hear what sensitive national security documents Trump's lawyers want to use at trial — until sometime after March 1. It's a one-two punch that will potentially delay the trial by up to four months. But by keeping her scheduled May 2024 trial date in Florida, she actually made it worse for judges overseeing Trump cases in Atlanta, New York City and Washington — a feat that's akin to booking a restaurant reservation one doesn't intend to keep.

According Brian Greer, a former CIA attorney, Cannon's actions could have consequences way beyond the Mar-a-Lago documents case.

Greer told the Daily Beast, "The tricky thing is, it puts them in limbo. Another judge could schedule something for May but may not want to, because it's possible trial will still go in May. If you're a cynic —and I'm not — you might say she deliberately did this."

READ MORE: Judge Aileen Cannon called out for wasting time on Trump’s 'frivolous' pleadings

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