A federal judge has dismissed Donald Trump‘s first request to have the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case thrown out, EmmanuelsBlog has learned.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida came just hours after a hearing in which his lawyers argued that the central charge in the case is vague.
Court Ruling
‘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.’ Cannon wrote.
As it is
However, she is yet to decide on Trump’s argument that he was allowed to keep some of the documents as ‘personal records’, DailyMail confirms.
Here’s The Gist
Trump has pleaded not guilty to a 40-count indictment accusing him of illegally taking sensitive government documents with him when he left the White House in 2021.
It is one of four criminal cases he faces as he tries to win back the White House in the November 5 general election.
At the hearing on Thursday, Trump sat quietly at the defense table with his hands clasped throughout proceedings, listening intently to the discussion.
Across from him sat Special Counsel Jack Smith, prosecutor and Trump nemesis.
Feeling The Weight of His Supporters
Afterward, the 77-year-old former president flashed a thumbs up sign as he was driven away from federal court in Fort Pierce past supporters.
The Lawsuit Timeline
But on Thursday morning he arrived in court after a string of legal victories.
On Wednesday, a judge in Atlanta threw out six charges in a huge conspiracy case against Trump and associates, accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election result in Georgia.
And last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Colorado, or any other state, did not have the power to strike him from ballots because of the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The issue on Thursday was whether or not the documents case should proceed.
Arguments focus on a law that make it a crime for an unauthorized person to willfully retain national defense information.
That charge forms the basis of 32 of the 40 felony counts against Trump in the case.
Defense lawyer Emil Bove said ambiguity in the statue permits what he called a ‘selective’ enforcement by the Justice Department, leading to Trump being charged but enabling others to avoid prosecution.
