CNN Reporter Praises Trump-Appointed Judge On Handling of Bombshell Case So Far: ‘She’s Taking Charge’

CNN’s Jessica Schneider praised Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon for “taking charge right off the bat” in handling 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 Friday morning’s edition of CNN This Morning, Schneider noted the criticism of Cannon, but cited her order that Trump attorneys obtain security clearances as evidence she’s handling the case well so far:

ERICA HILL: So that process getting the ball rolling here, How long would it take for that clearance?

JESSICA SCHNEIDER: Well, yeah, You know, the judge here, Judge Aileen Cannon and DOJ, Erica, they both want this process to move very quickly here. So Judge Cannon’s order. First order of business, instructing all attorneys to get in touch with DOJ to begin this security clearance process. Because our Kaitlan Collins actually reported that Todd Blanche, Chris Kise, they have already been in touch with DOJ because, of course, this case is comprised of highly sensitive classified materials that these attorneys will need to get a security clearance in order to work with all of these materials.

This order is also significant because it really does show that Judge Cannon, who has been criticized for siding with Trump in a previous related case and whose ability to effectively manage this case has actually been questioned. It does show how she’s already getting into motion to manage her docket within days of Trump’s arraignment. She really is relatively new to the bench. She was nominated by Trump in 2019, but she will be the one running this massive and complicated case. And we’re, she really is taking charge right off the bat by trying to get these security clearances in motion Erica, which these two attorneys have already been in touch with DOJ about.

ERICA HILL: Yeah, which is important. We also know the former president looking to hire another lawyer. Is there a sense that that will happen in time to meet today’s deadline of reaching out to the DOJ?

JESSICA SCHNEIDER: Yes. So two of Trump’s attorneys, they’ve already met the deadline. So they’ve been in touch with DOJ. They now need to alert Judge Cannon by Tuesday that they’ve done that. But it is clear that her order definitely puts this additional pressure on the former president to get his legal team fully aligned here.

Watch above via CNN This Morning.