Official announcements or career records

Judge Cannon Refuses to Step Aside in Trump Documents Case Despite Colleagues' Urging in June 2023

Jun 20, 2024, 06:15 PM

Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing former President Donald Trump's classified documents case, rejected suggestions from two experienced federal judges in South Florida, including Chief Judge Cecilia Altonaga, to step aside. The chief judge, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, argued that it would be bad optics for Cannon to oversee the trial due to her previous controversial rulings in Trump's favor. Despite these private urgings in June 2023, Cannon chose to keep the case, adding another dimension to the increasing criticism of her handling of the matter, as reported by the New York Times.