Speaking to host Wolf Blitzer on Friday, March 1, CNN personality Paula Reid said that Judge Aileen Cannon, the federal judge overseeing Special Counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents case against Trump in Florida, had given an “ominous sign” to Jack Smith. That “ominous sign” related to the schedule that Smith and his team want for the case, to begin it as soon as possible, something Judge Cannon apparently said was unrealistic.
Reid’s admission that things might not be going according to plan came as part of a discussion about the situation that Blitzer began, saying, “Right now, Donald Trump is inside a Florida courtroom for a crucial hearing.” He continued, “It could decide when the criminal case over his handling of classified documents goes to trial.”
Then Blitzer got to the all-important issue of the schedule and what Reid has heard about it, saying, “The judge is set to determine whether it will move forward as planned in May or be delayed. Trump’s lawyers now say they would accept the trial in August. That’s three months before Election Day here in the United States. CNN’s chief legal affairs correspondent, Paula Reid, is outside the courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida, for us. Paula, have you heard anything yet from inside the court?”
Reid, for her part, told Blitzer that the timing of the case has become the critical issue, as Special Counsel Jack Smith wants to get it started as soon as possible, whereas Trump’s team is fighting to postpone it to after the election.
Reporting on that, Reid first described how timing has become an issue and what Smith wants, saying, “Yes. Well, if we just got our first update, a handwritten note from inside the courthouse. We’re learning from our colleagues who are inside watching these proceedings that so far, the special counsel and Trump’s lawyers, they have been discussing this larger question of timing, such a consequential issue in this case, because we know the special counsel is keen to try this case as soon as possible.”
Then, continuing, she described Trump’s team’s stance and what “clues” Judge Cannon has given as to what will happen with the case. Reid said, “Trump’s lawyers want to delay it. Now, so far, the judge, Aileen Cannon, she has not signaled if she will definitely reschedule this trial or delay it. But she has given us some clues. Now, prosecutors apparently told her that they believe the one thing both parties agree on is that this can go this summer. Technically, that is true.”
Further, she explained why Trump’s team is adamant that it would be inappropriate to force Trump into the courtroom during the summer, saying, “The special counsel said they’d like this to start on July 8th. Trump lawyers said that if it has to go, it could start on August 12th. But they also argue that their client should not be sitting in a federal courtroom when they believe he should be out campaigning. They believe this would be a violation of his First Amendment right.”
Reid then got to the “ominous” sign for Special Counsel Smith from Judge Cannon. She said, “But in an ominous sign for prosecutors, we’re learning that Judge Cannon called some aspects of the government’s proposed schedule unrealistic, suggesting that she may delay this and may delay it further than the special counsel would like.”
source: Theamericantribune
