Ranking Member Raskin’s Statement on the Dismissal of the Classified Documents Case Against Donald Trump

Washington, D.C. (July 15, 2024)— Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, issued the following statement after Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the prosecution of former President Donald Trump in his classified documents case.

“For a quarter-century, Attorneys General of both political parties have named special counsels to conduct the country’s most politically sensitive investigations.  Today, a federal trial judge, who has been on the bench for less than four years but has already been upbraided by her appellate court for egregious departures from the rule of law, has tried to vaporize this long-standing institutional practice in order to benefit the President who appointed her.  Former President Trump’s actions require accountability—not the overthrowing of the Special Counsel on dubious constitutional grounds.  He knowingly retained hundreds of presidential and highly classified records at his Mar-a-Lago club and then deliberately defied subpoenas, obstructed law enforcement, hid evidence, and lied about his continuing retention of these records.  This misguided ruling should be appealed and reversed immediately.”