Judge Dismisses Trump Classified Documents Case

And more breaking news today involving former President Trump. His classified documents case here in Florida has now been dismissed. A federal judge making that ruling earlier today.

And this all involves boxes of classified documents found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Also, we’re expecting Trump to announce his running mate as early as today. So there are a lot of developments here. Let’s get to Local Ten’s Andrew Perez, who is in the newsroom with the breaking details on the classified documents case.

That’s right. A bombshell ruling just hours before the start of the Republican National Convention. I want to send you to this. The former president taking to Truth Social just a short time ago posting a really lengthy statement, almost a battle cry, on the heels of this ruling. In it, he makes mention of the attempt on his life over the weekend and then he starts to list all the various legal cases against him. The former president calling for unity and an end to what he says is the weaponization of our justice system.

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In a stunning decision today, the Florida judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case dismissing the indictment against him. Judge Aileen Cannon saying the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith violated the constitution. Cannon’s siding with Trump’s lawyers, who argued only Congress should authorize the funding for an investigation like this. It’s a major legal victory for the former president on the first day of the Republican National Convention. This decision effectively ending the years long investigation accusing Trump of hoarding hundreds of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home after leaving office. Prosecutors also say Trump allegedly tried to obstruct the investigation and get those documents back.

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The special counsel is also prosecuting Trump over January 6th and attempts to overturn the 2020 election. That case is not affected by today’s ruling on Smith, though. This also comes weeks after another win for Trump after the Supreme Court declared that presidents can never be prosecuted for acts within their core constitutional duties and are presumed to be immune for prosecutions for much of their other official actions.

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Florida Senator Marco Rubio also taking to social media after this ruling, posting on X one word, simply: dismissed. Rubio of course is one of Trump’s vice presidential hopefuls. We could learn more about his potential role in the campaign later tonight. As for this controversial order, the special counsel can appeal the ruling and even ask for the Trump-appointed judge to be taken off this case moving forward. So much more to come on this. Alexis, Christy?

Definitely everybody’s watching this. And we do have team coverage at noon on the classified documents case being dismissed.

Let’s get to Local Ten’s Roy Ramos, who’s joining us live right now from outside of Mar-a-Lago with state in Palm Beach with reaction. Roy?

Yeah. Everybody watching this, especially those Trump supporters. And while we’re not seeing that many supporters outside of Mar-a-Lago now, I can tell you that they are beginning to arrive. Take a look right here behind me. You may remember that FBI executed that search warrant back in August of 2022 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. Well, it’s there those federal investigators found classified documents. But Trump believed he was free to take them under the Presidential Records Act. As you heard from my colleague Andrew right there, the case has now been dismissed. And we are hearing from Trump supporters reacting to that decision. Take a listen.

I think it was about time. When you look at what happened with the Biden classified documents being dropped and also the Hillary Clinton email scandal. All that was dropped. It was about time that we finally got our turn now, and justice was served.

And of course this all comes just days after the former president’s attempted assassination. The judge did not rule on whether or not Trump’s actions were legal or not, as you heard from Andrew just previously. The Justice Department can appeal and will likely do so. For now, here in West Palm Beach, Roy Ramos, Local 10 News.