Attorneys for the man charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump on his Florida golf course have formally requested Judge Cannon recuse herself from the case.
In a 10-page motion filed Thursday, Ryan Routh’s lawyers argued that Cannon’s previous rulings in Trump’s favor, her appointment by Trump, and public concerns about her assignment to another high-profile case involving Trump, cast doubt on her impartiality.
“The unprecedented facts and circumstances of this case, at the very least, create significant doubts about whether this court could preside consistent with the requisite appearance of impartiality. And ‘any doubts must be resolved in favor of recusal,’” wrote Routh’s public defenders, Kristy Militello and Renee Sihvola, citing legal precedent.
The motion notes that federal prosecutors have not yet stated a position on the recusal request.
Cannon, who was appointed to the federal bench by Trump, previously presided over a case in which Trump demanded special oversight of records seized by the FBI during a search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022. She also handled the criminal case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, accusing Trump of hoarding classified documents. In July, Cannon dismissed that case, ruling Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.
Routh’s defense team pointed to public speculation that Cannon’s involvement in multiple Trump-related cases might not be coincidental, though they acknowledged they had no direct evidence that case assignments were anything but random. They warned that this perception could damage the integrity of the court.
“The public may suspect that Mr. Trump’s cases have somehow been deliberately steered to this Court. … That perception would irreparably damage the integrity of this court as an institution, not to mention the judicial process,” the attorneys wrote.
Court records indicate Cannon was one of several federal judges eligible for assignment to Routh’s case. The Southern District of Florida’s clerk’s office has refused to disclose the number or identity of other eligible judges, stating that such information is not public.
Cannon has faced criticism for her previous Trump-related rulings, including her decision to appoint a special master to review documents seized from Mar-a-Lago, which was partially stayed and later overturned by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Her dismissal of the classified documents case is currently on appeal.
Routh’s lawyers argued that Trump’s public praise of Cannon’s legal acumen, including during his 2020 Republican National Convention speech, could raise doubts about her impartiality in this case. They also highlighted the possibility that, if Trump is re-elected, he could promote Cannon to a higher court, such as the Supreme Court.
“In the mind of the public, this prospect of a judicial promotion could arguably affect this Court’s ability to be impartial in this case, where Mr. Trump is the alleged victim and has an interest in the outcome,” the motion stated.
While judges rarely recuse themselves solely because of the president who appointed them, Routh’s lawyers argue that Trump’s status as the victim in a criminal case makes this situation exceptional.
Routh has pleaded not guilty to five charges, including attempted assassination of a presidential candidate and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. His attorneys claim his actions were more of a publicity stunt than a serious assassination attempt.
Routh remains in jail without bond, and federal prosecutors have requested an indefinite delay in scheduling the trial due to the complexity of the case.
Read the court filing here.
