Exclusive — Marco Rubio Backs Up Judge Cannon after Trump Case Special Master Ruling

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) backed up Judge Aileen Cannon after many on the left and in the legal world establishment have expressed fury with her in the wake of her ruling for the appointment of a special master to review materials the FBI seized during its raid on former President Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago.

In a statement provided exclusively to Breitbart News, Florida’s senior senator, who is up for reelection this November, sung Cannon’s praises and noted the bipartisan support she received in state during the lead up to her nomination by then-President Trump and bipartisan support she received in her confirmation vote. He also ripped the attacks against her which have intensified since her ruling.

“Judge Cannon is a great judge who I am very proud to have enthusiastically supported,” Rubio said. “She received strong bipartisan support from both my judicial advisory commission and from the U.S. Senate. The attacks against her are just the latest example of hypocrisy from leftists and their media enablers who believe the only time it is acceptable to attack a judge is if that judge rules against what they want.”

Trump nominated Cannon to the bench on May 21, 2020, after a bipartisan judicial advisory commission in Florida—created by Rubio and led by former Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera—conducted an extensive vetting of Cannon’s background. The commission, which included both Republicans and Democrats, invited possible judicial nominee candidates to apply for vetting and review then finalists deemed to have the proper qualifications, experience, and character were selected from the pool. Those finalists were sent to Rubio for consideration, then he recommended names including Cannon to Trump for appointment to the federal bench. After Rubio’s recommendation and Trump’s nomination of Cannon—which came with support from the broad bipartisan commission in Florida—Cannon was confirmed on Nov. 12, 2020, on a big bipartisan vote in the U.S. Senate to become a federal judge.

The 56-21 Senate vote confirming Cannon saw 12 Democrat senators join Republicans to confirm her to the federal bench.

“I am pleased that the Senate confirmed Aileen Cannon to serve as a federal district court judge for the Southern District of Florida,” Rubio said at the time. “Ms. Cannon is a highly qualified individual, and I am confident that she will serve Florida’s Southern District honorably.”