Judge Aileen Cannon declined Tuesday to recuse herself from the case involving Ryan Routh, who was indicted in September for attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course.
Routh had requested her removal, arguing that Cannon’s past appointment by Trump, her involvement in his classified documents case, and favorable comments made by Trump about her could indicate potential bias.
READ: What We Know About Suspected Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Wesley Routh In Florida
In her seven-page order, Cannon addressed these concerns, stating she has no control over comments from “private citizens, members of the media, or public officials.” She clarified that her only interactions with Trump were in an official judicial context, noting, “I have no ‘relationship to the alleged victim’ in any reasonable sense of the phrase.”
Cannon faced similar calls for recusal from the media during the classified documents case, although no formal motion was filed. She previously dismissed that case due to what she described as an “unlawful appointment” of Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Cannon emphasized in her order that both cases involving Trump were “randomly assigned to me through the Clerk’s random case assignment system,” and she would not be influenced by “highly inaccurate, uninformed, or speculative opinions.”
READ: Suspect In Trump Assassination Attempt In Florida Identified As Ryan Wesley Routh
Cannon also addressed her past personal connection to one of the prosecutors, noting that her high school attendance and presence at the prosecutor’s wedding nine years ago do not provide grounds for recusal. “A reasonable observer, equipped with all of the facts and circumstances, would not question my impartiality based on this connection,” she stated.
Prosecutors also opposed Routh’s motion for recusal, arguing in an Oct. 21 filing that no legal grounds were presented that would necessitate her removal. They maintained that judges are only required to recuse themselves when there are substantial reasons to do so, which, they argued, Routh’s motion did not provide.
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