Remove Aileen Cannon Petitions Pass 300K Signatures
Published May 08, 2024 at 12:22 PM EDT
By Aliss Higham
Petitions calling for the removal of Judge Aileen Cannon from Donald Trump's classified documents case have now amassed more than 300,000 signatures.
Cannon, a Trump-appointed U.S. district court judge, is facing calls to recuse herself from the former president's classified documents case over concerns regarding her impartiality. Trump is facing dozens of criminal charges related to claims that he kept classified material at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving the White House and then obstructed authorities' efforts to retrieve them. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Newsweek has found six petitions calling for Cannon's removal from the case. One petition, run by Daily Kos, a progressive news site, has almost 102,000 signatures so far. "Federal law requires a judge to step away from a case in which impartiality 'might reasonably be questioned.' Given Judge Cannon's history and previous rulings in Trump's favor, her impartiality reaches that threshold," the petition said.
"This is not a matter of politics; it's a matter of justice. We must all stand for a fair and impartial judicial system regardless of political affiliation. We must demand that those in positions of power are held accountable for their actions. This case is a litmus test for our democracy, and we cannot afford to fail," it continued.
Newsweek has contacted a spokesperson for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida for comment via email.
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https://www.newsweek.com/remove-aileen-cannon-petitions-300k-signatures-1898410
