A proposed personnel roster circulating inside Donald Trump’s marketing campaign and transition operation lists Aileen Cannon, the federal decide who threw out Trump’s labeled paperwork case, as a attainable candidate for legal professional normal, a number of sources conversant in the matter have instructed ABC Information.
Cannon’s title seems on a doc reviewed by ABC Information titled “Transition Planning: Authorized Principals,” which lists potential staffing for the White Home counsel’s workplace, the Division of Justice, the FBI, and U.S. attorneys’ places of work, in addition to proposed candidates for the highest authorized positions inside a number of authorities businesses, ought to Trump be reelected.
The doc was drafted by Trump’s prime advisers with enter from Boris Epshteyn, who oversees Trump’s authorized crew and is one in every of Trump’s most trusted advisers, sources conversant in the matter mentioned.
Cannon’s title seems second after former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton, in accordance with the doc reviewed by ABC Information, which incorporates almost a dozen potential candidates for legal professional normal. Cannon’s title was added to the record properly after the labeled paperwork case was thrown out over the summer season, the sources mentioned.
Trump nominated Cannon as a U.S. district decide for the Southern District of Florida in 2020 and has repeatedly praised her for dismissing the 40 felony counts introduced by particular counsel Jack Smith associated to Trump’s dealing with of labeled supplies after leaving the White Home.
Cannon dismissed the case on the primary day of the Republican Nationwide Conference in July, on the grounds that Smith’s appointment as particular counsel overseeing the case was unconstitutional as a result of he was not appointed by the president or confirmed by Congress. Smith has appealed that call.
Cannon’s chambers didn’t reply to a number of emails from ABC Information looking for remark.
Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump takes the stage throughout a marketing campaign rally at Desert Diamond Area, on Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona.
Rebecca Noble/Getty Photographs
Cannon’s title is only one amongst a number of probably controversial candidates for the nation’s prime regulation enforcement posts ought to Trump win reelection, in accordance with sources conversant in extra personnel paperwork created by Trump’s transition operation.
Sources near Trump’s transition crew insist that any lists recommending how Trump ought to construct out his cupboard are preliminary and are continuously up to date. Trump has, for probably the most half, resisted partaking in formal transition conversations along with his internal circle, sources conversant in his pondering mentioned.
Representatives for Trump’s marketing campaign and transition groups didn’t reply to ABC Information’ request for remark.
Whereas sources instructed ABC Information that some transition paperwork suggest a number of veterans from the primary Trump administration for prime DOJ posts — like Clayton, former DOJ Workplace of Authorized Counsel assistant legal professional normal Steve Engel, and former Invoice Barr chief of workers Will Levi — others into consideration embody those that have publicly urged the previous president to dispose of the longstanding norms of independence between the White Home and the nation’s regulation enforcement businesses.
As an example, different paperwork circulated inside Trump’s transition operation present that potential candidates into consideration for legal professional normal embody Jeffrey Clark, who pleaded not responsible after being indicted in Georgia for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election; Mike Davis, who has posted a number of controversial statements on social media selling plans to focus on Trump’s political opponents, imprison members of the media in “gulags” and put migrant youngsters “in cages”; and Mark Paoletta, a former White Home lawyer and longtime buddy of Supreme Court docket Justice Clarence Thomas, who additionally represented Thomas’ spouse Ginni throughout the Home Choose Committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.
Paperwork additionally suggest a number of of Trump’s protection attorneys for prime cupboard posts — together with his lead legal professional Todd Blanche, who has appeared in Cannon’s courtroom a number of instances, and is listed as a candidate for deputy legal professional normal and White Home counsel. Sources inform ABC Information that Blanche can also be being thought-about for FBI director.
Stanley Woodward, who represented Trump valet Walt Nauta within the labeled paperwork case, can also be amongst these being thought-about for prime positions, together with White Home counsel, in accordance with the paperwork.
It isn’t clear whether or not Decide Cannon’s title being into consideration by Trump’s crew might affect Smith in figuring out whether or not to request her removing from the labeled paperwork case ought to an appeals court docket overturn her ruling dismissing the case. A spokesperson for the particular counsel’s workplace declined to remark to ABC Information.
Simply final week, the person charged with allegedly trying to assassinate Trump at his golf membership in Florida, Ryan Routh, requested that Cannon recuse herself from his case, partly as a result of what his legal professionals mentioned was the potential for Trump to raise her professionally ought to he be reelected president. The DOJ mentioned it opposes the movement, arguing that the movement didn’t cite any authority mandating Cannon’s recusal.
Routh, who has pleaded not responsible to a number of federal costs together with tried assassination of a presidential candidate, contended that Decide Cannon “owes her lifetime appointment to the alleged sufferer on this felony case,” in accordance with the movement.
Relating to Vice President Kamala Harris’ transition, two sources near the method instructed ABC Information that a number of names which have surfaced in preliminary discussions as potential candidates for legal professional normal embody North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, former Affiliate Lawyer Normal Vanita Gupta and U.S. Lawyer for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams.
A Harris transition spokesperson denied any such compiling or narrowing of lists as “pure fiction.”
“As a substitute, we’re centered on organising the infrastructure essential to be prepared,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Trump has lately escalated his rhetoric on the marketing campaign path as he continues to threaten to prosecute his political enemies ought to he win the 2024 election.
Lawyer Normal Merrick Garland has sought to refute accusations from Trump and his allies that Democrats have weaponized the Justice Division by its prosecution of people concerned within the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, in addition to Smith’s twin prosecutions of Trump for his alleged mishandling of labeled paperwork and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump’s operating mate and co-chair of his transition crew, Sen. JD Vance, mentioned lately that legal professional normal is the second most necessary place in an administration behind the president.
“You want an legal professional normal who believes in true equal justice underneath regulation,” Vance mentioned earlier this month, attacking the Division of Justice and Lawyer Normal Garland because the “most corrupt” in historical past.
