Ryan Routh, the man charged with attempting to assassinate former President Trump at his Florida golf course last month, asked U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Thursday to recuse herself from the case because Trump appointed her and has praised her handling of his classified documents indictment.
Routh’s attorneys said the “unprecedented circumstances” could create an appearance of partiality in the public’s view.
“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,” Routh’s attorneys wrote in the motion.
“As the alleged victim here, he has a significant stake in the outcome of this case too. 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,” they continued.
