Judge Cannon's improper blocking of Smith's report reveals her Supreme Court ambitions
Source: Shirin Ali. "Aileen Cannon's campaign for a Supreme Court seat reached a new low.." February 26, 2026. slate.com
The Gist
Judge Cannon overstepped her authority by blocking the release of a report about Trump's classified documents case, even though another court was already handling the matter. The author argues she did this to impress Trump and get nominated to the Supreme Court.
Conclusion
Judge Aileen Cannon's decision to block the release of Jack Smith's classified documents report was an improper exercise of judicial power motivated by her desire to curry favor with Trump for a potential Supreme Court nomination
Premises
- Cannon issued an order blocking the report despite lacking jurisdiction once the case was appealed to the 11th Circuit
- Her claim that Smith was illegally appointed as special counsel contradicts legal precedent and makes her the only judge to reach this conclusion
- Her assertion that releasing the report would be unprecedented is factually incorrect, as shown by the Mueller report precedent
- The timing of her order coincides with rumors of Justice Alito's potential retirement, suggesting strategic positioning
- Cannon has consistently made decisions favoring Trump throughout the classified documents case, demonstrating a pattern of loyalty
Assumptions
- Judges should not make rulings outside their jurisdiction
- Judicial decisions should be based on law and precedent rather than political considerations
- Special counsel reports should be made public for transparency
- A pattern of favorable rulings toward one party indicates bias or improper motivation