With former President Donald Trump’s trial imminent, two controversial players who are likely to preside in the historic case are gaining attention. Judge Aileen Cannon has been randomly selected to hear the case. She was appointed to the federal bench by Trump in 2020. Therefore, some Democrats are calling for her recusal from the case.
Judge Cannon previously ruled in favor of Trump to appoint a special master to review the classified documents seized at Mar-A-Lago last year. Critics argue that there is a conflict of interest due to her close ties with Trump.
If he were to be convicted, Cannon would be the one to decide Trump’s sentence and whether or not he would serve any time in prison. She also has the power to rule on motions, dismiss counts and dismiss the indictment all together.
The other controversial figure in the trial is federal prosecutor Karen Gilbert. Gilbert will sit alongside special counsel Jack Smith to represent the Department of Justice. Republicans are questioning her credibility in the case, calling her “corrupt” and “unethical” after once being reprimanded by a federal judge for secretly recording a defense lawyer.
Gilbert resigned from her position after allegations of eavesdropping on phone conversations between witnesses and a defense attorney back in 2009.
Years later, she was prosecuted again after being promoted by the DOJ.
There are very different pictures of how these two major players in the Trump trial are being teed up by the media.
While there is a plethora of coverage on the Trump-appointed judge and the implications that could come from her presiding over the case, mainstream media isn’t reporting Gilbert, who a district judge said acted in “bad faith” and “knowingly and repeatedly violated ethical guidelines.”
Check out the media landscape using the Straight Arrow News Media Miss tool.
