Lawyers representing Ryan Routh, the one-time Republican who was setting up a shot at corpulent target Donald Trump while the GOP candidate cheated at golf at his Palm Beach club, filed a motion request the judge overseeing the case, Aileen Cannon, to recuse herself because she’s been repeated praised by Trump and might gain a promotion if she rules against the defendant.
“Your Honor recently presided over that criminal case, and ultimately dismissed the case against Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump is the current Republican candidate for President in next month’s election. On the campaign trail, he has repeatedly praised Your Honor for her rulings in his case. As the alleged victim here, he has a significant stake in the outcome of this case too,” Routh’s lawyers write.
“Were he to become President in the future, he would have authority to nominate Your Honor to a federal judgeship on a higher court were a vacancy to arise. Taken together, these unprecedented facts and circumstances might create an appearance of partiality in the mind of the public. Accordingly, the Constitution and the federal recusal statute require Your Honor to recuse herself from this case.”