Breaking News: Federal Judge Denies Trump's Motion to Dismiss Classified Documents Indictment
Washington — In a recent development, a federal judge in Florida has denied former President Donald Trump's motion to dismiss the classified documents indictment against him. The ruling stated that the Presidential Records Act (PRA) does not shield Trump from charges related to the unlawful retention of national defense information.
The judge's decision came after Trump argued that the PRA, a recordkeeping law established in 1978 to manage official White House records during presidential administrations, should prevent the special counsel's case from proceeding.
Special counsel Jack Smith has charged Trump with a 40-count indictment, including 32 alleged violations of the Espionage Act, a national security law that prohibits the mishandling of national defense information. Prosecutors claim that over 300 sensitive government records were found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, which he was accused of unlawfully retaining.
Trump is specifically accused of illegally keeping 32 of these records. Despite the charges, he has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty.
Earlier this year, Trump's attorneys argued that the PRA should exempt the former president from judicial review concerning recordkeeping and that it granted him unrestrained discretion over classified documents.
Trump's charges do not mention the Presidential Records Act, according to Cannon's order on Thursday. The offenses Trump is accused of do not rely on this statute for any of the charges against him.
Cannon stated, "The Superseding Indictment outlines the accusations against Defendant Trump in a detailed manner, including excerpts from investigative interviews, photographs, and other evidence. Even if we assume the allegations in the Superseding Indictment are true, the Presidential Records Act does not offer a basis for dismissal before trial."
