CNN Legal Analyst Says ‘Fat Chance’ Trump-Appointed Judge Will Recuse From Bombshell Case

CNN legal analyst Laura Coates expressed skepticism that Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon would recuse herself from ex-President Donald Trump’s bombshell trial.

Cannon — a Trump appointee — was selected at random to preside over the trial on 37 counts against ex-President Donald Trump related to Espionage Act violations, and was also behind a controversial ruling that was overturned by an appeals court in a blistering decision by a panel that included two other Trump-appointed judges.

This has led to criticism by some, while other legal experts like Mediaite founder Dan Abrams have said Cannon should not step down.

On Tuesday morning’s edition of CNN This Morning, co-anchor Phil Mattingly asked Coates to take “a closer look at the judge’s power in this case”:

MATTINGLY: Special Counsel Jack Smith has vowed to seek a, quote, speedy trial in this documents case, but the ultimate decision about that timing, evidence and jury lies with the presiding judge, Aileen Cannon.

CNN Chief Legal Analyst and former federal prosecutor Laura Coates is taking a closer look at the judge’s power in this case.

And, look, there’s a lot of discussion about the judge. How much can her decisions make or break what’s happening in the months ahead?

COATES: Well, you might remember this judge, remember, because this is somebody who assigned that special master to look at the documents initially, got smacked down by the 11th Circuit as well. So, a little bit of information about it. She has a very big influence.

Coates ticked through several of the ways judges can affect the outcome of a trial, with particular attention to the timing of the proceedings and the decision whether or not to recuse herself:

Everyone, look ahead, January, you got the Iowa caucuses, likely to have the first Republican primaries. Very important to somebody who is now the frontrunner in that particular thing. March 5th, the Super Tuesday, and look at this, the 25 March, the Manhattan D.A.’s indictment trial.

A defendant has every right to prepare for trial. So, a judge is not going to want him to say, have a trial that ends on Friday in this case and then go to New York on the 25th. That wouldn’t be fair or reasonable.

Finally, look at this date, November 5th. Remember this date? That’s the presidential election date of other elections as well. The DOJ does not want to be viewed as trying to interfere with elections. They want to be able to stop their investigations or trials if they’re able to not start in a time it might interfere. That’s going to be very difficult to do so.

And, finally, should she stay or should she go? There’s a song in that somewhere. I won’t sing it this morning to you all. But Judge Cannon, she gets decided she wants to actually recuse or not, fat chance she likely will. A reassignment could actually come from the chief judge and the DOJ could actually appeal as well.

But here’s the criteria for that, everyone. Is there something about her prior relationship with this case that would make it such that she would not be able to be an objective and impartial arbiter of justice? That remains to be seen.

HARLOW: I wish you sang, but short of singing, that was absolutely fascinating, Laura. Thank you.

Watch above via CNN This Morning.

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