Staff Reports
Former President Trump and special counsel Jack Smith engaged in a heated clash on Thursday about when the criminal classified documents trial should take place. This comes just before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s impending decision on their proposals.
Donald Trump and special counsel Jack Smith sparred on Thursday over when the criminal classified documents case should take place, clashing just one day before the judge will deliberate on their proposals. https://t.co/9Ebf0MPPCa https://t.co/9Ebf0MPPCa
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 1, 2024
Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, is set to provide an update on the trial schedule during a Friday hearing. There is an expectation that she will postpone the current May 20 trial start. Smith has requested the trial to begin on July 8, whereas Trump has urged for it to not commence until after the 2024 election, citing his campaign schedule.
Trump’s attorneys emphasized the importance of a fair trial and argued that it cannot happen this year in a manner consistent with the Constitution, especially as Trump is a leading candidate in the 2024 election. They also mentioned significant dates in the former president’s campaign calendar. If the trial cannot be delayed until after the election, Trump proposed an August 12 start date.
Cannon has asked for updated proposals from both parties ahead of the proceedings, which were due by the end of Thursday. The judge had previously declined Trump’s request to push back the May trial date and is now tasked with setting a trial date while considering Trump’s other ongoing criminal cases, such as the state-level hush money trial in New York.
The former president has filed multiple motions to dismiss the case, including based on presidential immunity and selective prosecution. Trump’s lawyers have also requested a hearing on these motions following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the immunity dispute.
Despite the intense legal battles, there is anticipation for the Supreme Court’s oral arguments over Trump’s presidential immunity claim in a separate indictment alleging he attempted to subvert the 2020 election.
In the midst of all this legal drama, Trump is also facing a separate criminal case in Georgia, raising questions about the district attorney’s impartiality due to her romantic relationship with her hired special prosecutor.
It seems like the legal battles are far from over for the former president, and the coming weeks are sure to bring more twists and turns in these high-stakes legal showdowns.
