Federal Judge Postpones Proceedings in Trump’s Case on DC Election Interference
Federal judge postpones proceedings in Trump’s case: The trial date for the federal election subversion case against former President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, has been postponed due to ongoing appeals related to presidential powers, according to a recent court order.
Originally scheduled for March 4, the trial was put on hold as a federal appeals court reviews arguments asserting Trump’s immunity from prosecution based on his role as president leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. The appeals court has not yet issued a ruling on the matter of immunity.
While US District Judge Tanya Chutkan’s order on Friday officially confirmed the delay, it had become increasingly unlikely that the March trial date would proceed. In January, Trump’s legal team expressed concerns about prosecutors submitting court filings despite the case being paused. Chutkan warned against further actions without her permission.
The delay is seen as a victory for the former president, who has consistently sought to postpone the trial until after the 2024 presidential election. However, the success of this strategy in delaying the trial until after November’s vote remains uncertain.
Two Trump advisers informed CNN that the former president’s legal team will persist in seeking additional delays. They emphasized that the key focus in the latest court order is the absence of a new trial date set by Chutkan.
Anticipation of a delay was widespread among the involved parties and court officials, especially given the absence of a ruling from the DC Circuit on presidential immunity, a case heard almost a month ago. The DC Circuit’s ruling may be subject to further appeal to the Supreme Court.
As part of her order on Friday, Chutkan stated that prospective jurors, initially asked to appear in court next week, would no longer be required to fill out a written questionnaire. Chutkan mentioned, “The court will set a new schedule if and when the mandate is returned.”
Trump faces four counts related to election subversion charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith, including conspiring to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding. The former president has pleaded not guilty.
The federal case against Trump was slated to be the first among the criminal indictments he faces.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is slated to bring former President Trump to trial in late March on charges of allegedly falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.
Both Trump’s legal team and experts in law perceive the hush money case as weaker than others, according to advisers of the former president speaking to CNN. The campaign believes that having the Bragg trial precede others will assist them in establishing the central argument that these trials are politically motivated, aiming to harm Trump’s chances in a general election.
Current court proceedings in the Mar-a-Lago case, concerning the handling of documents post-presidency, are primarily focused on the use of classified evidence. While a trial is scheduled for late May, it might be subject to postponement due to these ongoing proceedings.
Aileen Cannon, the judge overseeing the Mar-a-Lago documents case and a Trump appointee in south Florida, has not ruled out the possibility of revisiting the trial schedule. A hearing for this matter is set for March 1.
As for the state-level judge handling Trump’s 2020 election conspiracy case in Georgia, a trial date has not yet been determined.