OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The U.S. Department of Justice Thursday took the unprecedented step this week of indicting former President Donald Trump.
Trump announced late on Thursday that he has been indicted by the Department of Justice on charges connected to his handling of classified materials that were found at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last August.
Now, it has been revealed that the judge initially assigned to oversee the case is Judge Aileen Cannon, an appointee of Trump who sits on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Interestingly enough, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas oversees the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and could potentially be involved in the case in the future.
“Cannon’s apparent assignment would add yet another unprecedented wrinkle to a case involving the first federal charges against a former president: Trump appointed Cannon to the federal bench in 2020, meaning that, if Trump is ultimately convicted, she would be responsible for determining the sentence – which may include prison time – for the man who elevated her to the role,” ABC News reported.
“A federal grand jury voted to indict Trump on at least seven federal charges late Thursday as part of an investigation into his handling of classified documents, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The indictment comes after more than 100 documents with classified markings were found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in August 2022. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and claimed again late Thursday that he was innocent,” the outlet added. “Cannon is no stranger to the case. The 42-year-old judge appointed a “special master” last year to review those materials seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Legal experts accused Cannon of handing Trump a series of head-scratching victories over the course of those proceedings.”
Pro-Trump Judge Aileen Cannon has been assigned the arraignment and she is overseen by the 11th Circuit which is overseen by Justice Clarence Thomas.
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) June 9, 2023
🤣😂🤣😂🤣 Let’s just see how far this case against President Trump actually goes. I have a feeling Clarence Thomas will end up with this eventually, #Trump2024 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/WGLdAkzw02
— ShawnM (@ShawnM67411430) June 9, 2023
The maximum prison sentence for Trump is astronomical when all of the counts against him are added together.
If Trump is convicted of the seven charges against him, he could face as much as 100 years in prison.
“The former president faces at least seven charges, sources tell ABC News, which include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document or record, concealing a document in a federal investigation, a scheme to conceal, and false statements and representations,” ABC News reported.
“Maximum sentences for the respective charges, per their statutes, range from five up to 20 years, although any eventual sentence should Trump be convicted would likely be much lower,” the outlet added.
“Any eventual sentence should Trump be convicted would likely be much lower,” ABC noted in its report.
In a series of posts on his Truth Social, Trump said he has been summoned to federal court on Tuesday in Miami.
“The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted, seemingly over the Boxes Hoax, even though Joe Biden has 1850 Boxes at the University of Delaware, additional Boxes in Chinatown, D.C., with even more Boxes at the University of Pennsylvania, and documents strewn all over his garage floor where he parks his Corvette, and which is “secured” by only a garage door that is paper thin, and open much of the time,” he wrote.
“Page 2: I have been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM. I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former President of the United States, who received far more votes than any sitting President in the History of our Country, and is currently leading, by far, all Candidates, both Democrat and Republican, in Polls of the 2024 Presidential Election. I AM AN INNOCENT MAN!” he added.
“Page 3: This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America. We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!” Trump added in his final post.
