Yes but, DC is Biden territory and Florida is Trump territory. Just as you don’t want someone judge shopping, you also don’t want them grand jury shopping. Smith will, presumably, make it clear that there was no such thing.
FBI Search and Seizure at Trump's Mar-A-Lago Residence, August 8, 2022, Case Dismissed July 15, 2024
It should be neither territory. Smith is simply trying to make it easier for witnesses in his case in Florida.
It is in no way “Biden territory.” Biden didn’t seat the grand juries. Neither did Trump. Putting these things in these terms unnecessarily politicizes our justice system, to its detriment.
Oofff, just found out a case she recently heard was reversed on appeal last week because she forgot to have the jury panel sworn in.
According to Andrew Weissman, Neal Katyal and Harry Litman, all highly regarded legal experts, Cannon committed 3 big no-nos with her assistance to Defendant Trump:
- Didn’t understand why the prosecution offered 2 filings under seal (they were grand jury proceedings, which must be under seal);
- Revealed the existence of a second grand jury investigation;
- Didn’t realize that there are numerous bases for holding grand jury proceedings outside the trial venue.
She really is so far out of her depth.
That seems really bad. Does it endanger the investigation or trial in any way, or is it just one more line item on Jack Smith’s big list o’ fuckups that he might choose to reference at some point in the future?
Not my area of procedural expertise, but the lawyers discussing it on the tee-vee seemed to think it was. One of those Judge 101 things that she should have known.
As Litman said, had she conferred with another judge for 15 minutes, they would have explained why all her mistakes were just nuts.
ETA: In answer to your actual questions, the experts disagreed on this. Weissman thought it was a basis to get Cannon recused. Katyal thought Smith would just add it to the big list o’ fuckups and Litman thought it might be a basis to move the whole case to Washington D.C.
Hmmm, I wonder if this is her going to bat for her homeboy Trump or if this is her self-immolating as a way of getting out of this whole mess.
If this happens I’ll probably need a half day off work just to savor it.
She could’ve just recused herself if that was the case (heh).
What? In a hurry to pack the federal courts, Trump and the senate didn’t do due diligence in selecting their candidates? Get me a fainting couch!
I suppose this rules out the early theory that she’d be consulting with more experienced judges to help her navigate this case.
Let’s cut out the middleman and just let the court of appeals hear this case directly.
I saw the three last night.
I don’t know how this will all shake out, this judge is not just inexperienced, I’m sad to say she has a bit of a willful ignorance thing going on. I don’t know what the dynamic of the judges are down there, but seriously if any new judge ever needed hands on mentoring it is this one.
I wouldn’t. To me, the smallish chance a Florida jury will fail to convict (compared to if a DC one would), is less important than the certainty that moving to DC would energize Trump-leaning-but-not-committed voters to vote for him — and to distrust the entire system yet more.
(My calculus is strengthened by the existence of the other indictments).
Or simple incompetence.
That’s my guess. I think a more competent person would help her buddy, the defendant, in a way that doesn’t attract so much negative attention before the trial even gets started.
I think it’s both. This notion that a grand jury should only be convened in the venue of a filed indictment is one that’s been promulgated among the MAGA crowd, borne of pure ignorance. I noticed Cannon took it up immediately in her ruling.
She’s taking her cues from the MAGA base and too stupid to check with her fellow judges to learn what a fool she’s making of herself.
So judges like Cannon ever get friendly invites from elder judges in superior courts for closed-door come to Jesus meetings, or is it more of an “every judge an island” thing if they’re not proactively reaching out for feedback?
What are the chances that Trump is bribing her to tilt the scales in his direction, not realizing that even if he wins because of her actions, she’ll never see a nickel of it?
In my experience in state courts, I’m afraid not. It’s assumed that if you were appointed/elected to a bench, you have the chops to make your own bed and lie in it. I’m not sure that’s true anymore.
But judges will absolutely offer their opinions (just try and get them not to!) if asked. Smart new judges take liberal advantage of the experience of their colleagues and seek their advice as often as they can.
Well, there’s your problem.
Oh, I don’t know. Biden has appointed quite a few in his time as president. I’m not worried about those!