In a significant legal win for Donald Trump, a Florida judge has dismissed the criminal case against the former US President and Republican presidential candidate.
The case centered on charges of mishandling top secret documents, with Judge Aileen Cannon ruling that the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was improper.
The ruling comes as Trump prepares to be announced as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate at the Republican National Convention. The 78-year-old had faced 31 counts of “willful retention of national defense information,” each carrying a potential 10-year prison sentence. Additional charges included conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements.
Judge Cannon’s order stated, “Former President Trump’s Motion to Dismiss Indictment Based on the Unlawful Appointment and Funding of Special Counsel Jack Smith is GRANTED. The Superseding Indictment is DISMISSED because Special Counsel Smith’s appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.”
The case had alleged that Trump illegally retained classified documents, including Pentagon and CIA records, at his Mar-a-Lago home and hindered efforts to retrieve them. The ruling is a significant victory for Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing.
