Two federal judges in south Florida advised District Judge Aileen Cannon to consider stepping down from overseeing the criminal prosecution of former President Donald Trump in a case involving classified documents. The judges, including the district's chief judge Cecilia M. Altonaga, recommended that Cannon recuse herself from the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith and allow another judge to take charge, as reported by The New York Times.
Despite the suggestion, Cannon continues to preside over the case, which has faced numerous delays and has not yet been scheduled for trial. The report did not disclose the identity of the second judge who also contacted Cannon. Altonaga's office declined to comment on the matter.
When Cannon was initially assigned the high-profile criminal case, she had already encountered public criticism and a significant appellate court ruling against her in a lawsuit filed by Trump challenging the FBI's search of his Mar-a-Lago property in August 2022, where classified documents were discovered.
Legal scholars have raised concerns about Cannon's handling of the case, noting that she has been accused of slowing down proceedings to the point where a trial before the upcoming election seems unlikely. Critics claim that she allows irrelevant legal matters to overshadow key issues, such as a motion by Trump to invalidate Jack Smith's appointment as special counsel, which is set for extensive arguments in the near future.
Attorneys familiar with Cannon's courtroom practices have highlighted her strict stance on technical errors in filings and a lack of efficiency in managing the case docket. This has resulted in prolonged delays in resolving pretrial disputes that would typically be addressed by other judges within weeks but remain unresolved for months in Cannon's court.
