Former President Donald Trump faced a setback in court as his attempt to dismiss charges alleging mishandling of classified documents was denied by a judge. The ruling, made by Judge Cannon, addressed one of Trump’s motions, with several others still awaiting resolution. While this decision marks one of the initial substantive actions by Cannon in response to pre-trial motions, it signifies a win for Special Counsel Jack Smith, who leads the prosecution.
Trump’s legal team had sought the dismissal of 32 charges linked to the mishandling of documents discovered at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida post his presidency. They argued that certain phrases within the charges, such as “unauthorized possession,” “relative to the national defense,” and “entitled to receive,” lacked constitutional clarity. However, Cannon denied this motion without prejudice, leaving open the possibility for it to be raised again in the future.
The case, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, alleges that Trump knowingly retained national defense documents, concealed records, and obstructed justice by evading government attempts to retrieve them.
As of now, Cannon has not set a new trial date, having originally scheduled it for May 20. However, during a recent hearing, she indicated that a new date would be established.
During Thursday’s proceedings, attention also focused on another of Trump’s pre-trial motions, where he argued that the Presidential Records Act empowered him to designate any documents he wished as personal property and take them after leaving the White House. Cannon has yet to deliver a ruling on this particular motion.
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