Judge Dismisses Trump Classified Docs Case

The Facts

• Federal US Judge Aileen Cannon ruled Monday that the Justice Department's (DOJ) appointment of Jack Smith as a special prosecutor to probe former Pres. Donald Trump's classified documents case was "unlawful."

• Cannon ruled that the appointment of Smith violated the Constitution's "Appointments Clause," which states that "Ambassadors," "Ministers and Consuls," "Judges of the Supreme Court," and "all other Officers of the United States" must be confirmed by the Senate, which Smith was not.

• Her ruling also rejected the indefinite funding of the special counsel's prosecution, which Cannon ruled violates the Appropriations Clause of the Constitution.