Judge Denies One of Trump's Attempts to Dismiss Classified Documents Charges

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U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon rejected a motion by former President Donald Trump's legal team on Thursday to dismiss some of the classified documents charges against him.

The Details: Trump's lawyers had argued that special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment of Trump on charges of willfully retaining classified information was "unconstitutionally vague."

Key Quotes: “Although the Motion raises various arguments warranting serious consideration, the Court ultimately determines, following lengthy oral argument, that resolution of the overall question presented depends too greatly on contested instructional questions about still-fluctuating definitions of statutory terms/phrases as charged, along with at least some disputed factual issues as raised in the Motion," Cannon wrote in her decision

For Context: Trump's team may seek another dismissal on the same grounds at a later date. Cannon reportedly expressed skepticism toward another bid to dismiss the case under the Presidential Records Act, but didn't rule on it. Trump's team argues that the act gave him the right to declare some classified documents his personal property when he left office.

How the Media Covered It: Focusing on quotes from Cannon, The Washington Post (Lean Left bias) and other outlets on the left often framed Trump's attempts to dismiss the case as baseless. Right-rated outlets didn't; most focused on Trump's arguments. Some also focused more on how the district attorney in Trump's New York hush money case agreed on Thursday to delay that trial by 30 days. 

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U.S. District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon on Thursday shot down one of Donald Trump’s bids to toss out the charges against him for allegedly mishandling classified documents, rejecting his claims that the Espionage Act was unfairly vague when used against a former president.

A federal judge Thursday denied one of Donald Trump’s motions to throw out charges in his classified documents prosecution.

Trump’s attorneys asserted the former president’s actions were carried out within the scope of his presidential duties. Prior to the ruling, federal Judge Aileen Cannon pressed the jury on why she should drop the case and not have it go to a jury trial.

A federal judge in South Florida partially spurned former President Donald Trump’s bid Thursday to toss out the criminal charges against him for his hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Trump-appointed US District Judge Aileen Cannon concluded that the 45th president’s team wanted her to decide “prematurely” on their claim that special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment charging Trump, 77, with wilfull retention of national defense information was unconstitutionally vague.