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Aileen Cannon, appointed by former US president, issues first order in federal criminal case set to overshadow Republican primaries
Good morning, US politics blog readers. The wheels of justice are said to grind slowly, but they move nonetheless, including in the case of Donald Trump allegedly hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Yesterday, Aileen Cannon, the federal judge handling the matter (who also happens to be an appointee of the former president with a history of decisions some observers say indicated partiality towards him), issued her first order in the case.
Cannon told all attorneys involved to obtain from the justice department the security clearances necessary to view the documents Trump is said to have kept with him after leaving the White House – which are crucial evidence for the prosecution. Security clearances are common among the defense and intelligence communities, and the order is largely procedural. But it’s the first step in what is expected to be a long legal road for the former president, with potentially great implications for the 2024 elections.
The supreme court will at 10am eastern time release more decisions. There’s no telling which cases they will rule on, but outstanding matters include Joe Biden’s student loan relief plan and affirmative action at universities.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are both taking jaunts out of Washington DC today. The president is heading to Connecticut to mark the anniversary of a gun safety bill he oversaw passage of last year, while the vice-president will go to Colorado to discuss fighting climate change.
Olivia Dalton, the deputy White House press secretary, will speak to reporters aboard Air Force One sometime after 11.30am.
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