Supreme Court Rejects Fast-track Request for Trump's Immunity Case
ICARO Media Group
In a recent development, the Supreme Court has ruled against fast-tracking the case to determine whether former President Donald Trump has immunity. The decision comes as Trump's attorneys filed a motion accusing Special Counsel Jack Smith of repeatedly violating a stay order in his 2020 election investigation.
The trial, which was set to commence on March 4, had been put on pause as Trump's legal team appeals the case, arguing that presidential immunity shields him from prosecution. However, the motion filed by Trump's attorney, John Lauro, alleges that Smith's team has been disregarding the stay order.
According to Lauro, within the first five days of the proceedings being halted, Smith's team served "thousands of pages of additional discovery, together with a purported draft exhibit list." This alleged violation of the stay order prompted President Trump to reject the prosecutors' actions and warn of seeking relief if their behavior continued.
Lauro further criticizes Smith for filing an "expansive motion in limine" just 10 days after the stay order was imposed. He contends that the motion is filled with partisan rhetoric and false claims concerning President Trump's involvement in the events of January 6, 2021.
The motion argues that Smith and federal prosecutors should be held in contempt of court for their actions and calls for the withdrawal of the motion in limine and improper productions. Lauro also requests that they be forbidden from submitting any further filings during the stay period. Additionally, he suggests monetary sanctions in the form of President Trump's reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses incurred in responding to the prosecutors' actions.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung expressed support for the motion, characterizing Smith as "Crooked Joe Biden's henchman" and accusing him of a "J6 Witch Hunt." Cheung emphasized that Smith's actions defy the rule of law and are intended to propagate the Biden campaign's talking points.
It is important to note that the U.S. Supreme Court recently rejected Smith's appeal to expedite the assessment of President Trump's immunity claim before fully going through a federal appeals court. Trump's legal team had requested the court to deny Smith's request.
As of now, President Trump has pleaded not guilty to all four federal charges brought against him in relation to Smith's investigation into 2020 election interference and the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The charges include conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
The case continues to unfold and will proceed through a federal appeals court before ultimately determining whether presidential immunity applies in this situation.