“Delay Helps Trump But Also Hurts” Legal Expert Discusses Potential Benefits in Classified Documents Case
Photos by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images and Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
As the delay in former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case continues, critics are voicing their frustration, accusing Judge Aileen Cannon of bias toward the man who appointed her. However, former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance has presented a different perspective, suggesting that the delays might inadvertently benefit Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the investigation.
Vance highlighted a previously unreported trip Trump made to Mar-a-Lago in 2020, which, she argues, has actually helped prosecutors gather more evidence over time. “Delay helps Trump in a very real sense but also hurts,” Vance wrote, pointing out that “over time, the government’s evidence keeps getting better.”
This trip, which occurred in July 2022—just weeks before the FBI searched Trump’s Florida property—has come under intense scrutiny. According to sources cited by ABC News, the visit was “highly unusual” as Trump typically spends summer at his Bedminster club in New Jersey and because his living quarters at Mar-a-Lago were under construction at the time.
Adding to the intrigue, Jack Smith recently shared striking images of cluttered boxes containing classified documents, taken from inside Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. These photos depict piles of cardboard boxes carelessly stacked, some of which had tipped over, spilling sensitive documents onto the floor. Observers noted that the documents were stored amidst an array of items, including cases of Diet Coke and disheveled clothing, with one notable image showing a portrait of Trump depicted with eagle-wing horns.
In a poignant critique of Trump’s handling of sensitive materials, Smith wrote, “Trump personally chose to keep documents containing some of the nation’s most highly guarded secrets in cardboard boxes. They landed in stacks in the storage room, and several boxes fell and splayed their contents on the floor.”
Despite Vance’s analysis suggesting potential prosecutorial gains from the delays, many remain skeptical about the judicial process under Judge Cannon’s stewardship. Critics like Art Martin expressed disdain on social media, referring to the judge as “Judge Aileen Manchurian Candidate,” implying that her actions might be deliberately aimed at obstructing justice. Another user, Brad Moore, expressed pessimism about the outcome, stating, “It isn’t going to matter in Cannon’s Court. She’s either going to delay this case until March of 2025, or just dismiss the entire case.”
The ongoing case continues to generate significant public and media attention, with developments scrutinized for their implications not only for Trump but also for the broader legal standards surrounding the handling of classified information.
