U.S. Federal Judge Aileen Cannon
The man accused of allegedly trying to pick off Donald Trump with a rifle while the former president played on his West Palm Beach golf course is asking the judge overseeing the case to recuse herself.
Judge Aileen Cannon was randomly assigned to the case against Ryan Wesley Routh last month.
Routh's defense attorneys now argue in a court filing that Cannon should recuse herself because she recently dismissed Trump's classified documents case, and the former president could potentially nominate Cannon to a higher court if elected president again.
“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,” the defense said.
They added: “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.”
Routh faces five charges including attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate and has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
His criminal trial is set to begin on November 18th at the Federal Courthouse in Fort Pierce with Judge Aileen Cannon presiding, for now.