A Florida judge has dismissed a criminal case involving classified documents found at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
The former US president has stated on his Truth Social platform that the dismissal should be “only the first step” and that it should be “quickly followed by the dismissal of ALL witch hunts.”
In the case that was dismissed today, Trump had been accused of illegally withholding classified documents.
It represents another important legal victory as the Republican seeks to return to the White House.
Follow live updates: Classified Documents Case Dismissed
Florida-based U.S. District Attorney Aileen Cannon, a Trump nominee, agreed with the former president’s defense attorneys that special prosecutor Jack Smith, who was leading the prosecution, was illegally appointed to his position and did not have the authority to bring the case. case.
The judge also ruled that Mr. Smith’s office was improperly funded by the Justice Department.
Smith’s team vigorously disputed the argument made by Trump’s defense team during hearings before Cannon last month.
The special counsel team also told the judge that even if she ruled in favor of the defense team, the appropriate outcome would not be to dismiss the entire case.
The case was dismissed months after Trump became the first former US president to be criminally convicted.
A New York jury found him guilty. of falsifying business records to commit election fraud.
Trump was convicted after being at the center of a scheme to cover up “hush money” payments to buy a porn star’s silence in the days before the 2016 election.
When Stormy Daniels’ revelations about a sexual relationship with Trump threatened to upend her presidential campaign, she ordered her lawyer to pay her $130,000 (£102,000) to keep her quiet.
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