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To: Chief Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Remove Biased Judge Cannon from U.S. vs Trump case
Chief Judge Altonaga must exercise her authority to remove Judge Cannon from the United States vs Donald Trump case. Judge Cannon was appointed by Trump and has a recent history (in this very case!) of demonstrating extreme bias in favor of Trump. Her continued assignment over this trial risks the integrity of and the public’s confidence in the proceedings. The case must be reassigned to a different judge.
Why is this important?
Former President Donald J. Trump is facing 37 federal charges, including 31 violations of the Espionage Act, for stealing from and refusing to return top-secret nuclear and military documents to the government. Trump believes he is above the law, and the outcome of this federal case is critical to proving to the nation that he is not. It’s imperative that an impartial, trustworthy judge oversee this high-stakes trial. Judge Cannon is not this person.
Last year, Judge Cannon wrongfully intervened in the Department of Justice investigation into Trump’s withholding of classified documents, barring the DOJ from using the seized materials in the continued investigation. Her ruling was ultimately reversed by a conservative court, citing she had no authority to intervene. She claimed to be protecting his reputation as former president of the United States, but the court responded with, “To create a special exception here would defy our nation’s foundational principle that our law applies ‘to all, without regard to numbers, wealth, or rank.’” It’s clear she did not adhere to the mandate of equal justice under the law.
Despite federal law requiring judges to recuse themselves when their “impartiality might reasonably be questioned” or when they have “a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party,” she has yet to do so. And with the stakes this high, we can’t wait any longer for a judge with integrity to oversee this trial. Chief Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga has authority under federal law and internal court procedure to reassign a new judge to this case, one who will prioritize equal justice under the law.
Photo credit: Illustrated / AP Photo / Southern District of Florida