Legal analyst Joyce Vance has voiced concerns about a closed-door meeting between Judge Aileen Cannon and special counsel Jack Smith, which she describes as an “oddly scheduled ex-parte meeting.” This meeting, focused on the sharing of classified documents in the case against former President Donald Trump, has raised questions about the judge’s potential bias. Vance highlighted the unusual delay in the proceedings, expressing discontent with the extended timeline that deviates from the norm in cases involving classified information.
Vance criticized Judge Cannon for the substantial delay in reaching a decision on Section 4 motions related to the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA). The delay, according to Vance, is particularly troubling given the straightforward nature of the case. In her analysis on Substack, Vance pointed out that the anticipated CIPA ruling ahead of the holidays did not materialize, and the hearing is still weeks away at the end of January.
“One of the biggest objections to Judge Cannon’s handling of the case has been the exceptional amount of delay she has indulged Trump with in what should have been a fairly straightforward case,” Vance wrote. “I anticipated a CIPA (Classified Information Procedures Act) ruling ahead of the holidays. … But here we are at the end of January, with the hearing itself still weeks away.”
The significance of the Wednesday meeting lies in its role in Smith’s case against Trump in Florida, where the former president faces conspiracy charges related to top-secret documents found at his Mar-a-Lago social club. The Classified Information Procedures Act, designed to protect sensitive government information, allows Smith to seek Cannon’s approval to exclude or replace classified information with unclassified summaries.
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Vance emphasized the importance of a swift resolution, noting that Smith can appeal to the 11th Circuit if Cannon denies his request. The delay in scheduling the hearing, approximately eight weeks after both parties filed Section 4 motions and responses on December 6, has raised eyebrows. Vance questioned the judge’s decision to allow such an extended timeframe without providing any apparent justification.
“She offered no reason for allowing that amount of time to elapse,” Vance stated. “There was nothing on the calendar in this case that would have permitted her from doing it immediately.”
As Vance previously reported, delay tactics have been a key defense strategy in the criminal court cases brought by Smith against Trump. Vance argues that Judge Cannon, already accused of sabotaging the Mar-a-Lago documents case, is toeing the line in managing her schedule, allowing unnecessary delays in reaching a resolution on critical motions.
“Instead of proceeding promptly to get to the point where she could rule on the Section 4 motions, she has permitted the matter to drag on. That delay has been particularly troubling when it comes to CIPA,” she concluded.
