On July 15, 2024, Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the federal criminal case against former President Donald J. Trump for his alleged unlawful retention of national security documents in his residence at Mar-a-Lago. Judge Cannon based the dismissal on the unprecedented conclusion that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment by the Attorney General violated the Appointments Clause of the Constitution. A month prior, Matthew Seligman argued before Judge Cannon to defend the lawfulness of the Special Counsel’s appointment. In this lecture, he will discuss the exceptionally rare procedural circumstances of his argument, the grave flaws in Judge Cannon’s decision, and why he was convinced the government would prevail when he sat down from the podium. 

Lunch will be served starting at 12:30 pm.

Matthew Seligman is a lawyer and legal scholar whose academic research focuses on election law, with a particular emphasis on disputed presidential elections. His broader research interests span constitutional law, federal courts, contracts, and private law theory. His scholarship has appeared in the Stanford Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, the Vanderbilt Law Review, Philosophy and Public Affairs, and elsewhere. His work on disputed presidential elections has received extensive coverage in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and dozens of other venues. He is a frequent commentator on election law issues, including numerous appearances on CNN, MSNBC, and other news channels. View his full bio.