Presiding judge on President Donald Trump’s ‘mishandling’ of classified documents case nixed special counsel Jack Smith’s demand to gag the former president last Tuesday.
Judge Aileen Cannon also blasted Smith’s team for failing to ‘meaningfully confer’ with the defense panel.
Trump’s lawyers exclaimed that the prosecution panel filed the motion over the weekend before Memorial Day without conferring with the defense on the issue.
The defense team also asked Judge Cannon to admonish prosecutors’ “bad-faith” decision to rush an “extraordinary, unprecedented, and unconstitutional censorship application.”
However, the presiding judge declined to penalize the prosecution but warned that they would face sanctions if they failed to comply again with “basic requirements,” such as filing motions without “meaningful, timely and professional conferral.”
“The Court finds the Special Counsel’s pro forma ‘conferral’ [with the defense] to be wholly lacking in substance and professional courtesy.”
“It should go without saying that meaningful conferral is not a perfunctory exercise,” Cannon noted.
“Sufficient time needs to be afforded to permit a reasonable evaluation of the requested relief by opposing counsel and to allow for adequate follow-up discussion as necessary about the specific factual and legal basis underlying the motion.”
The prosecution team argued that the gag order was “necessary because of several intentionally false and inflammatory statements recently made by Trump that distort the circumstances under which the Federal Bureau of Investigation planned and executed the search warrant at Mar-a-Lago.”
However, Trump’s statements weren’t without basis as former FBI agents argued that operation guidelines set on the Mar-a-Lago raid were out of ordinary standard operating procedures.
Among the unsealed troves of documents related to the classified documents charges were guidelines for FBI agents prepping for using “deadly force” in the instance that the former president retaliates.
As told by the Raging Patriot, as “president of the United States, Trump had full authority to declassify documents.”
They questioned, “Why authorize the use of deadly force unless you want him dead?” emphasizing that Trump, as former president, can easily be contacted for the documents.
Among the guidelines, set was to prepare for the possibility of a shoot-out with US Secret Service agents who are protecting Trump and his family.
Trump’s defense team highlighted that the DOJ blatantly advised its agents to be prepared for any confrontation, stating: “Law enforcement officers of the Department of Justice may use deadly force when necessary.”
The DOJ also advised law enforcement officers to wear “unmarked polo or collared shirts” to conceal their “law enforcement equipment,” and ensure they are armed with “ammo,” “handcuffs,” and “medium and large sized bolt cutters.”
Meanwhile, Nicholas Pagnotta slammed Jack Smith for interfering in Trump’s reelection bid.
“In what should be no surprise, tyrant Jack Smith once again pushed for a gag order to be placed on Donald Trump, why? Because he is a useful idiot for the Biden administration looking to silence and take down Trump to interfere in the 2024 presidential election, that is what all of these cases are about,” Pagnotta said.
