Judge Refuses to Dismiss Certain Charges in Case Involving Trump Documents

The request to dismiss some of the charges in the indictment against former President Donald Trump and two of his associates was denied by the federal judge presiding over the classified documents case on Monday.

The defendants had tried to get rid of more than seven of the 41 counts in the indictment, which accuses Trump of unlawfully holding onto classified documents from his presidency and collaborating with valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager to hide these files from the government.

Challenges to counts related to obstruction and false statements were made by the defendants, but U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon stated in an order on Monday that these issues are either allowed by law, pose evidentiary challenges not suitable for resolution at this point, or do not warrant dismissal even if technically flawed, as long as the jury is appropriately instructed and presented with adequate verdict forms regarding each Defendants’ alleged behavior.

Previously, Cannon had dismissed several other motions to dismiss the case, including one asserting that Trump had the authority under the Presidential Records Act to retain the documents with him post-White House exit and designate them as personal files.