The federal judge overseeing the classified document case against former President Trump handed special prosecutor Jack Smith multiple blows.
Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida – who is presiding over the case – denied the Smith’s request for sealed filings, striking two from the record. Smith had also requested an out of state jury to be used and that didn’t go over well with Judge Cannon.
“The Special Counsel states in conclusory terms that the supplement should be sealed from public view ‘to comport with grand jury secrecy,’ but the motion for leave and the supplement plainly fail to satisfy the burden of establishing a sufficient legal or factual basis to warrant sealing the motion and supplement,” Cannon wrote in the brief.
“Among other topics as raised in the Motion, the response shall address the legal propriety of using an out-of-district grand jury proceeding to continue to investigate and/or to seek post-indictment hearings on matters pertinent to the instant indicted matter in this district,” she continued in the brief.
Meanwhile, Trump is facing a possible gag order in the 1/6 indictment in Washington DC.
On August 4, 2023, Smith has requested that former President Trump be forbidden from discussing the indictment in DC against him.
In response to the request Trump wrote on social media, “saying “Deranged Jack Smith is going before his number one draft pick, the Judge of his ‘dreams’ (WHO MUST BE RECUSED!), in an attempt to take away my FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS – This, despite the fact that he, the DOJ, and his many Thug prosecutors, are illegally leaking, everything and anything, to the Fake News Media!!!”
In a later post, Trump added, “No, I shouldn’t have a protective order placed on me because it would impinge on my right to FREE SPEECH. Deranged Jack Smith and the Department of Injustice should, however, because they are illegally ‘leaking’ all over the place.”
