Jack Smith Appeals Trump Documents Case Dismissal

Special Counsel Jack Smith has appealed Judge Aileen Cannon's dismissal of the federal classified documents case against former President Donald Trump, arguing that her ruling deviated from binding Supreme Court precedent and misconstrued statutes authorizing his appointment. Cannon had dismissed the case, deeming Smith's appointment unlawful under the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, a decision that surprised many legal observers. Smith's team contends that the Attorney General validly appointed him, and his office is properly funded, taking issue with Cannon's interpretation of Supreme Court precedent. The 58-page brief filed with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals argues that Cannon's ruling also ignored the longstanding history of special counsel appointments by the Attorney General. The case, which involves Trump allegedly taking classified documents to Mar-a-Lago and obstructing efforts to retrieve them, has been indefinitely delayed by Cannon, potentially pushing the trial past the November election.