Takeaways from the dismissal of the mishandling classified documents case against Donald Trump

Washington CNN —

A federal judge’s decision to dismiss Donald Trump’s classified documents case on Monday was a surprising end to what was once seen as one of the strongest criminal cases brought against the former president last year.

District Judge Aileen Cannon said in a 93-page ruling that the case should be tossed out based on her finding that special counsel Jack Smith, who brought the charges, was unlawfully appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Her rationale came purely on technical legal grounds and was not based on specifics of Trump’s alleged actions or the strength or weakness of the charges. In fact, she only mentioned the details about Mar-a-Lago and classified documents in one cursory paragraph within the 93-page ruling.

There may be a path for Smith to revive the case, Cannon noted in her ruling, and Smith can appeal the decision.

But the shock decision by Cannon, a Trump appointee whose handling of the case has drawn widespread scrutiny, still handed an enormous legal and political win to the former president on the same day that the Republican National Convention kicked off in Milwaukee.

Trump, soon to be confirmed as the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominee, quickly celebrated Cannon’s ruling Monday and, without evidence, again claimed that the now-dismissed case was part of a coordinated political hit job orchestrated by the Justice Department.

Here are the takeaways from Cannon’s ruling:

Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional, Cannon says

Cannon said that Garland’s appointment of Smith in November 2022 violated the US Constitution’s Appointments Clause, which gives presidents the power to appoint officials who must then be confirmed by the Senate.

Smith’s