A former U.S. attorney has criticized Judge Aileen Cannon of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida for her slow handling of Donald Trump’s case involving obstruction of justice charges.
Speaking with MSNBC host Katie Phang, former prosecutor Joyce Vance commented on the contrast between the rapid pace of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in addressing Trump’s presidential immunity claim regarding the Jan. 6 insurrection, and the lack of progress in Judge Cannon’s court.
Vance noted that while the D.C. court is swiftly moving to resolve the question of Trump’s immunity, Judge Cannon appears to be stalling the case in Florida, where Trump faces charges for mishandling sensitive government documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
This delay, according to Vance, aligns with Trump’s strategy of postponing legal matters until after elections, potentially to resolve them in his favor if re-elected.
Describing Judge Cannon’s approach as “slow-ball” or “death-ball,” Vance expressed frustration over the sluggish progress in the Mar-a-Lago case. However, she found the recent quick actions of the courts in Washington encouraging, highlighting the unusual speed of legal proceedings in these instances as a hopeful sign for those confused by the typically slow pace of the judicial system.