Judge Aileen Cannon has dismissed special counsel Jack Smith's case against former President Donald Trump by determining that Smith was not properly appointed as special counsel.
In a filing flagged by Politico's Kyle Cheney, Cannon argued that Smith's appointment "violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution."
Although Cannon has been long criticized for showing deference to Trump in her rulings, this full dismissal of the case is sure to set off a firestorm as it hinges on an incredibly controversial ruling about whether Smith was properly appointed.
As the Washington Post writes, the bid to dismiss Smith on these grounds was seen by many legal observers as a "longshot" and that "other courts have rejected similar arguments to the one that he made in Florida about Smith’s unlawful appointment."
Smith has the opportunity to appeal the ruling.
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