Petitions calling for the removal of Judge Aileen Cannon from Donald Trump's classified documents case have now amassed more than 300,000 signatures.
Cannon, a Trump-appointed U.S. District Court judge, is facing calls to recuse herself from the former president's classified documents case over concerns regarding her impartiality. Trump is facing dozens of criminal charges related to claims that he kept classified material at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving the White House and then obstructed authorities' efforts to retrieve them. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Newsweek has found six petitions calling for Cannon's removal from the case. One petition, run by Daily Kos, a progressive news site, has almost 102,000 signatures so far. "Federal law requires a judge to step away from a case in which impartiality 'might reasonably be questioned.' Given Judge Cannon's history and previous rulings in Trump's favor, her impartiality reaches that threshold," the petition said.
"This is not a matter of politics; it's a matter of justice. We must all stand for a fair and impartial judicial system regardless of political affiliation. We must demand that those in positions of power are held accountable for their actions. This case is a litmus test for our democracy, and we cannot afford to fail," it continued.
Newsweek has contacted a spokesperson for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida for comment via email.
Another petition, with 99,183 signatures, calls on Chief Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to remove Cannon, saying 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."
A petition by Action Network, with 40,817 signatures, drew attention to Cannon's record on the case so far. "Last year, she ordered a 'special master' to review the classified documents that federal officers had found at Mar-a-Lago. Then, she blocked authorities from using the documents in their investigation while the review was underway," it said.
It continued: "Federal law requires a judge to step away from a case in which impartiality 'might reasonably be questioned.' Given Judge Cannon's history and previous rulings in Trump's favor, her impartiality reaches that threshold."
Three other petitions, hosted by Care2, also support Cannon's removal. Together they have amassed about 60,000 signatures.
On May 7, Cannon scrapped the scheduled May 20 trial date in the case without setting a new one, citing the need to consider various legal rules and deadlines surrounding the use of classified evidence in public criminal trials. The move casts doubt on whether Trump will face trial in the case before the presidential election in November.
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Aliss Higham is a Newsweek reporter based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her focus is reporting on issues across the U.S., including ... Read more
