Politics
WATCH: Joy Reid Floats Baseless Claim That Judge Aileen Cannon Has Been ‘Bribed’ By Trump
MSNBC host Joy Reid floated a baseless conspiracy that U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon — who is overseeing special prosecutor Jack Smith’s classified documents case against former President Trump — has been “bribed” with a Supreme Court seat by the former president.
Reid asked Joy Vance, a former U.S. attorney who now works as a legal analyst for NBC and MSNBC, “If you’re Jack Smith, do you try to somehow appeal it to the 11th Circuit and get her booted?”
Vance responded by saying that such an effort from Smith would likely be unsuccessful.
“You know, the best hook that Jack Smith has for an appeal would be if Judge Cannon were to make rulings that he didn’t like when it comes to whether Donald Trump can use classified information at trial. He’s got a right to appeal those. Of course, we’re in that pre-trial phase where the government needs a special hook to take an interlocutory appeal,” she said. “Most sorts of issues have to wait until afterwards. So, I think what Jack Smith has been waiting for has been these rulings on the classified information.”
Reid, while laughing, claimed that Cannon is “never going to rule.”
“And that is one of the issues,” Vance continued. “She’s suspended that this week. “Those responses were due this week out of the blue. She gave Trump a continuance. And so for Jack Smith, I suspect he’s now regretting the fact that he did not try to recuse her early on when he could have.”
Reid, without evidence, then jumped in again to suggest that Judge Cannon has been “bribed” by former President Trump. “As the great Lawrence O’Donnell says, Eugene, the bribe is implied. She wants to be on the Supreme Court. She thinks she can get on if Donald Trump wins. She’s going to kill this case. It’s a catch and kill, as one might say,” Reid said.
While holding back laughter, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson replied with “I know, but Aileen can’t be on the Supreme Court. Come on.”
“It’s Trump. She’s done him favors,” Reid followed up, suggesting that Cannon has been promised a Supreme Court seat in exchange for favorable rulings.
The Media Research Center noted that Reid has been advancing the baseless claim since April 10.