Eileen Cannon, 42, is a Colombian-born former federal prosecutor. Her Cuban mother was forced to flee the Castro regime in search of freedom at the age of seven. Photo: Newscom/Alamy Stock Photo
The judge who may oversee Donald Trump's classified documents case was appointed by the former US president in 2020 and ruled in his favor.
Judge Eileen Cannon According to sources familiar with the case, he was originally appointed as rare good news for Mr. Trump.
It's not clear if Ms. Cannon will oversee the entire Mr. Trump case, but she could play a huge role , for example, deciding whether to schedule a trial before the 2024 presidential election.
Trial judges can influence other deadlines and shape the case in other ways, deciding which evidence to admit and which to exclude.
< p>They will also decide on any potential motions by Mr. Trump's lawyers to dismiss some or even the entire indictment.
If he is convicted in this case, it could put Ms. Cannon in an unprecedented situation of determination. sentenced by the president who elevated her to her current position.
The Cuban family
Ms. Cannon, 42, Colombian. born former federal prosecutor. She donated funds to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 2018 presidential campaign.
Born Cuban, she grew up in Miami and spoke of the enduring influence of her family background.
Her mother, forced to “flee the oppressive Castro regime in search of freedom and security” at the age of seven, she said.If Donald Trump is convicted, it could put Ms. Cannon in the unprecedented situation of sentencing the president who elevated her to her current role. Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP.
Ms. Cannon was a member of the Federalist Society, a conservative organization that has long influenced the choice of Republican presidents.
She holds degrees from Duke University and the University of Michigan Law School and was previously a clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Iowa.
Her judicial philosophy is “originalist,” meaning her interpretation of legal texts—including the Constitution—is guided by their meaning at the time they were written.
Mr. Trump nominated Ms. Cannon for federal court in 2020 year, during his last attempt to fill the bench of young conservative judges before his first term ended.
She was confirmed with strong bipartisan support: 12 Democrats joined the Republicans to confirm her seat in the district court in South Florida.
Invisibility
During her short time on the court, Ms. Cannon kept a relatively low profile. .
One of her most high-profile cases to date involves the sentencing of a man who pleaded guilty to making death threats against former Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Liberal Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.< /p>
One of Ms. Cannon's most high-profile cases involved the sentencing of a man who pleaded guilty to making death threats against Nancy Pelosi. : Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images North America
But Ms. Cannon came into the public eye last fall when she oversaw an early legal skirmish between Mr. Trump and the Justice Department (DOJ) over classified documents.
Court controversy
Her controversial decision to grant Trump's request for an independent arbitrator to review documents seized by the FBI during a raid on his Mar-a-Lago, Florida estate was widely criticized.
As part of her ruling, she temporarily barred federal agents and prosecutors from viewing the many classified documents seized during the raid, which some legal analysts say showed undue respect for Trump and delayed the work of the Justice Department.
The decision was subjected to harsh criticism from the US Court of Appeals, which overturned her ruling and chided her for abuse of power.
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