Judge’s Snub Could Give DOJ Second Thoughts about Appeal in Trump Case

Judge Aileen Cannon has rejected the Justice Department’s proposal of a compromise that would have avoided an appeal of her order appointing a special master to review documents seized from former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort by the FBI.

Judge Cannon’s ten-page order was issued on Thursday evening. That’s because prosecutors had vowed to seek redress in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals if she had not partially reversed herself by today. Nevertheless, I suspect the Justice Department is having second thoughts about appealing. Cannon’s latest directive, for all its flaws, gives prosecutors a path to prompt access to the seized classified documents they need to proceed with their investigation — whereas even a successful appeal could entail weeks or months of delay.

About the Author

Andrew C. McCarthy

Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.

Featured Tags

Manage following

Donald Trump

FBI

Department of Justice

Mar-a-Lago

Judge Aileen Cannon has rejected the Justice Department’s proposal of a compromise that would have avoided an appeal of her order appointing a special master to review documents seized from former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort by the FBI.

Judge Cannon’s ten-page order was issued on Thursday evening. That’s because prosecutors had vowed to seek redress in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals if she had not partially reversed herself by today. Nevertheless, I suspect the Justice Department is having second thoughts about appealing. Cannon’s latest directive, for all its flaws, gives prosecutors a path to prompt access to the seized classified documents they need to proceed with their investigation — whereas even a successful appeal could entail weeks or months of delay.

About the Author

Andrew C. McCarthy

Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.