- Charges for illegally retaining classified documents and other crimes are expected to be filed against Trump next week in federal court in Miami
- This raises the possibility of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon hearing the case
The case against former president Donald Trump could be tried by a Florida judge that he appointed, with charges for illegally retaining classified documents and other crimes expected to be filed next week in federal court in Miami.
Trump is facing seven criminal counts related to his treatment of sensitive government materials he took with him when he left the White House in January 2021, according to a source familiar with the matter.
By bringing the case in Florida, the special counsel investigating Trump has raised the possibility that it could be randomly assigned – or transferred – to Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida.
Cannon – who was appointed by the former president – intervened on Trump’s behalf early on in the investigation into his handling of the classified documents, shocking experts at the time who called her move ‘deeply problematic’.
She was eventually rebuked by two other Trump-appointed judges, who shut down her interference into the criminal investigation.
Investigators seized roughly 13,000 documents from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, nearly a year ago.
One hundred were marked as classified, even though one of Trump’s lawyers had previously said all records with classified markings had been returned.
Trump has previously said he declassified those documents while president, but his attorneys have declined to make that argument in court filings.
According to a report, Trump could face 100 years behind bars if he is convicted of all seven charges related to mishandling of classified information.