'Star of the mental Olympics': Ex-White House lawyer slams Judge Cannon over latest remark

Aileen Cannon, the federal judge appointed by President-elect Donald Trump, appears ready to again side with the MAGA leader, reportedly signaling Friday that she'll keep special counsel Jack Smith's report into his confidential documents case secret.

"Trump's judge does it again," CNN anchor Erin Burnett told viewers on her show, "OutFront."

Burnett reported that Cannon signaled at a hearing earlier in the day that she would "not allow the release of Jack Smith's report on Trump's [alleged] mishandling of classified documents."

In June 2023, Trump was indicted on 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The charges included willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements.

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Cannon oversaw that case, repeatedly delaying it and ultimately dismissing it in July 2024, finding that Smith's appointment was unconstitutional in a ruling widely criticized by legal experts.

"Her decision to now not allow the release basically guarantees that it will never be seen," Burnett said, noting that once Trump takes office, he can ensure it'll remain secret.

As Burnett shared Cannon's statement with former White House lawyer Ty Cobb, she couldn't help but chuckle.

"At the end of the day, what's the urgency of doing this right now?" said Cannon.

"What's the urgency Ty? Four days before the inauguration," she asked.

Cobb laid into the judge.

"The mere fact that she asked that question shows why she is the star of the mental Olympics. It's such a silly question because the whole reason for this happening is the alleged urgency of Trump's co-defendants needing to prevent the Justice Department from following its own internal regulation," he said.

The DOJ is supposed to share with four Congress lawmakers — the chairman and ranking members of committees that have jurisdiction — in a locked room where they can't take notes and review the materials. The lawmakers have a compelling interest to potentially propose laws to "tighten up classifications if necessary" of the type that are at issue in the documents that Trump "clearly took," Cobb said.

Should the case not be resolved by Monday, Cobb warned the Justice Department will "promptly resolve" it with a "change of heart and no desire for transparency."

Watch the clip below or at this link.