US District Judge Cannon dismissed the case of United States vs. Donald J. Trump, Waltine Nauta, and Carlos De Oliveria this morning. The reasoning for the ruling reads below:."Former President Trump's Motion to Dismiss Indictment Based on the Unlawful Appointment and Funding of Special Counsel Jack Smith is GRANTED in accordance with this Order [ECF No. 326]. The Superseding Indictment is DISMISSED because Special Counsel Smith's appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution. U.S. Const., Art. II, § 2, cl. 2. Special Counsel Smith's use of a permanent indefinite appropriation also violates the Appropriations Clause, U.S. Const., Art. I, § 9, cl. 7, but the Court need not address the proper remedy for that funding violation given the dismissal on Appointments Clause grounds. The effect of this Order is confined to this proceeding.".The full document can be read here. .Key Democrats immediately called for the appeal of the dismissal and the "reassignment" of Judge Cannon. Senate Majority Leader Schumer called the ruling "breathtakingly misguided…[which] flies in the face of long-accepted practice…".Former President Trump, who narrowly survived an assassination attempt on July 13th, 2024, made the following statement in reaction to the dismissal.
US District Judge Cannon dismissed the case of United States vs. Donald J. Trump, Waltine Nauta, and Carlos De Oliveria this morning. The reasoning for the ruling reads below:."Former President Trump's Motion to Dismiss Indictment Based on the Unlawful Appointment and Funding of Special Counsel Jack Smith is GRANTED in accordance with this Order [ECF No. 326]. The Superseding Indictment is DISMISSED because Special Counsel Smith's appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution. U.S. Const., Art. II, § 2, cl. 2. Special Counsel Smith's use of a permanent indefinite appropriation also violates the Appropriations Clause, U.S. Const., Art. I, § 9, cl. 7, but the Court need not address the proper remedy for that funding violation given the dismissal on Appointments Clause grounds. The effect of this Order is confined to this proceeding.".The full document can be read here. .Key Democrats immediately called for the appeal of the dismissal and the "reassignment" of Judge Cannon. Senate Majority Leader Schumer called the ruling "breathtakingly misguided…[which] flies in the face of long-accepted practice…".Former President Trump, who narrowly survived an assassination attempt on July 13th, 2024, made the following statement in reaction to the dismissal.