3 mins ago
Judge Cannon pressed the defense on what their definition of “unauthorized” was.
“Judge, I don’t have one,” Mr. Blanche responded, frustrating the judge.
The judge had tried to get at who would be entitled to receive classified documents, and Mr. Blanche said there was an “extremely problematic” lack of legal definition for terms like “need to know” when it comes to classified information, as it varies case by case.
Mr. Blanche said past presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, and President Joe Biden’s situations were “parallel” to the current case.
All had retained documents after their presidency, Mr. Blanche argued, and the Department of Justice was “complicit” and chose not to prosecute. He said it was “unspeakable” that the DOJ approved that yet are prosecuting this case.
President Clinton had shared tapes containing military information with his biographer, Mr. Blanche pointed out. The judge asked whether these tapes contained classified information, but Mr. Blanche did not know.
22 mins ago
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon started with the motion to dismiss based on unconstitutional vagueness.
“These charges must be struck and dismissed,” said Todd Blanche, attorney for President Trump.
The judge questioned whether the motion was “premature” as it brings in facts outside the indictment, but Mr. Blanche said other cases have done so as well.
1 hour ago
Former President Donald Trump’s motorcade pulled up to the Florida courthouse to cheers from supporters and chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump.”
As with most Trump court appearances, fans, protestors, and press tend to turn out in droves, making for a lively event.
Today, the tailgaters had set up early, playing upbeat music and holding signs like “Florida is Trump Country.”
2 hours ago
Several of the arguments today turn on the interpretation of the word “unauthorized.”
Prosecutors argue that under the Espionage Act, President Trump’s “unauthorized” possession of classified documents constitutes a serious felony.
Defense attorneys argue that under the Presidential Records Act, President Trump certainly had the ability to designate as personal all the documents he retained, so he was in no way “unauthorized” to possess them.
FORT PIERCE, Fla.—Roughly 24 hours after a Georgia judge dropped some of the charges filed against him there, former President Donald Trump’s attorneys will argue in a Florida court that the federal classified documents case should be thrown out.
President Trump on March 14 arrived at the courthouse to appear before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Fort Pierce, Florida, as his attorneys argue two of the four motions they filed to dismiss charges against him. One motion argues that 32 charges should be dropped due to “unconstitutional vagueness,” and the other argues the entire superseding indictment should be thrown out pursuant to the Presidential Records Act (PRA).
National security files were routinely taken by past presidents, President Trump’s attorneys said in their argument for unconstitutional vagueness, “and no one suggested that their possession and retention was ‘unauthorized’ as discussed in President Trump’s motion relating to selective and vindictive prosecution.”
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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