Judge Cannon was part of a corrupt coordinated rightwing strategy to stack the courts with conservative judges.

Will you sign the petition to remove biased Judge Cannon from United States v. Trump?

Dear MoveOn member, 

Former President Donald Trump has been charged ... again. This time in Georgia by a grand jury in Fulton County on 41 counts of criminal charges for interfering in the 2020 election—attempting to overturn the state's election results in a desperate grab for power, even when he knew he lost.1

With the charges stacking up against Trump—four indictments and 91 charges in one year—and all eyes on this unprecedented moment, it’s imperative that all the trials be transparent and unbiased. This starts with Judge Aileen Cannon—who was appointed by Trump and is overseeing the stolen documents case. She has already faced scrutiny for wrongfully intervening and trying to block the Department of Justice from accessing materials found at Mar-a-Lago.2 It is clear that Judge Cannon is too biased to ensure a free and fair trial and must be replaced!

The more we dig into Judge Cannon’s past, the more concerning her connections become. Last week, we learned that Judge Cannon was appointed as part of a corrupt, coordinated right-wing strategy to stack the courts with conservative judges, orchestrated by Trump ally Leonard Leo.3

Judge Cannon has already eroded the public’s trust in her judgment and proven herself too biased to preside over this high-stakes case. Add your name to the petition to tell Chief Judge Altonaga to exercise her authority and remove Judge Cannon from the United States v. Donald J. Trump trial.

Federal law requires judges to recuse themselves when their "impartiality might reasonably be questioned." If Judge Cannon refuses to recuse herself, then Chief Judge Altonaga MUST intervene and ensure the American people get a fair, unbiased trial!

A reporter for The Guardian followed the dark money, and it led right back to Leo.4 Judge Cannon was "gifted" a luxury resort trip from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. The law school received at least $30 million in donations brokered by Leo, and the university foundation has received millions in dark-money donations from Donors Trust, which has also profited from Leo’s connections and deep pockets.5

Trump and the far-right movement that emboldens him believe that they can buy every branch of our government. But our government is structured with checks and balances to prevent this kind of corruption. Chief Judge Altonaga must uphold the integrity of our judicial branch and take necessary steps to ensure dark money is not influencing the outcome of this trial. 

Never before in the 234-year history of the United States has an American president or former president been federally indicted.6 No one is above the law, and our president should be held to the highest standard when it comes to our national security. United States v. Donald J. Trump will be a historic trial, and the precedent it establishes will set the stage for the future of our democracy and the accountability of our elected leaders.

The American people deserve a fair, unbiased trial. Join MoveOn members and demand that Judge Cannon be removed from United States v. Trump.

Thanks for all you do. 

–Aliya, Kelsey, Bekir, Emily, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Trump and 18 co-defendants charged with racketeering in Georgia 2020 election probe," NBC News, August 15, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179807?t=8&akid=359714%2E40999114%2EF6zdyV

2. "Trump case assigned to judge who faced criticism over her ruling in his favor in Mar-a-Lago search," AP News, June 9, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/174874?t=10&akid=359714%2E40999114%2EF6zdyV

3. "The kingmaking Trump ally behind a cadre of rightwing judges," The Guardian, August 11, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179794?t=12&akid=359714%2E40999114%2EF6zdyV

4. "Judge Cannon Gifted Luxury Trip by Leo-Backed Scalia Law School," Accountable.US, August 11, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179796?t=14&akid=359714%2E40999114%2EF6zdyV

5. Ibid. 

6. "Tracking the Trump criminal cases," Politico, August 15, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179808?t=16&akid=359714%2E40999114%2EF6zdyV

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