Grassley: Why Did DOJ Wait To Indict Cannon’s Would-Be Attacker

A senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee is demanding an explanation from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on why a potential assassin was able to threaten U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon for months.

On Monday, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe of the Southern District of Florida asking why law enforcement officials took four months to indict a would-be assassin of Cannon.

“On September 25, 2024, Eric James Rennert was indicted for making violent threats to assault, kidnap, and murder U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed charges against former President Trump related to his handling of classified information,” Grassley wrote. “However, according to the indictment, Rennert began making threats against Judge Cannon and her family as early as May 25, 2024.”

In July, Judge Cannon tossed the federal government’s charges brought against former President Donald Trump in Florida after DOJ stormtroopers raided his Mar-a-Lago residence two years ago. Court filings show the FBI was authorized to use “deadly force” to conduct the raid that allowed agents to confiscate any record Trump might have interacted with as president. Judge Cannon ultimately dropped the charges after finding prosecutor Jack Smith’s appointment as special counsel was unconstitutional.

Judge Cannon’s reluctance to fast-track the unprecedented proceedings throughout the criminal case against the former president put a target on her back by Democrats desperate for a conviction before the November election. Just before Judge Cannon effectively killed the chance for a trial this summer, anonymous sources demanded through interviews with The New York Times she recuse herself and have a colleague preside over the high-profile case.

According to the indictment cited in Grassley’s letter, Cannon received threats about her safety in May, but the man behind them was not indicted until September. Attacks against the judge from left-wing activists had also begun to escalate in May as Cannon came under pressure to accelerate the prosecution of the Republican presidential nominee.

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“The indictment says on or about May 25 and May 28, 2024, Rennert communicated ‘a true threat to kidnap and injure’ Judge Cannon and her family,” Grassley wrote. “The indictment says that Rennert also threatened to ‘assault, kidnap, and murder’ Judge Cannon ‘with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere’ with her ‘performance of official duties’ and ‘with the intent to retaliate’ against Judge Cannon for performing those duties.”

Grassley’s letter also highlighted that on “July 24, 2024, Rennert again threatened to murder Judge Cannon for all the same reasons.” Trump had just been shot at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania 11 days prior, on July 13. The former president survived another attempt by a gunman who lined up a scoped “AK-47-style rifle” within just 300 to 500 yards of where he was golfing.

“The Justice Department didn’t indict Rennert until September for these criminal threats, even though Judge Cannon has faced consistent violent threats for carrying out her constitutional duties,” Grassley wrote. “Why did it take the Justice Department four months to bring charges against Rennert during which time former President Trump faced two assassination attempts?”

Tristan Justice is the western correspondent for The Federalist and the author of Social Justice Redux, a conservative newsletter on culture, health, and wellness. He has also written for The Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. His work has also been featured in Real Clear Politics and Fox News. Tristan graduated from George Washington University where he majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at [email protected]. Sign up for Tristan’s email newsletter here.