Days after U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan blocked former President Donald Trump's federal election destruction case, she suggested the trial could drag on into the middle of summer, Politico reported.
The postponement is seen as a victory for President Trump, who has pushed to postpone the four criminal trials until after the presidential election in November.
Trump, a front-runner for the Republican nomination, is facing charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results and subversion for his subsequent activities surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol. He is charged with four felonies. The former president has pleaded not guilty to all counts in the case.
A trial date in the case, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, had previously been set for March 4, but Chutkan halted the date in an order filed Friday. The judge invalidated the case's date, citing a pending appellate decision on whether the former president should be granted presidential immunity. A new schedule will be set at a later date, pending the Court of Appeals' decision.
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newsweek Representatives for Mr. Trump and Mr. Chutkan were reached for comment via email Monday night.
During a status conference on an unrelated case on Monday, Chutkan said he plans to leave the country in early August unless a trial for Trump is scheduled, according to Politico.
“I hope I won't be in this country on August 5,” Chutkan said, adding that if he doesn't travel, “it's because I'm in court for another matter that's not yet back on the calendar.” Ta.
Politico said Chutkan's comments on Monday come as Trump's pending lawsuit and trial of MAGA leaders could continue throughout the Republican primaries and the Republican National Convention, scheduled for mid-July. The report appears to be a reference to the judge's first public admission.
Chutkan, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, noted that the trial schedule is largely outside of her control and is in the hands of higher courts.
Smith and Justice Department prosecutors are seeking to speed up the trial, including asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider whether Trump can be indicted for his actions while president. The High Court rejected Mr. Smith's request.
Trump argued that the president should be granted immunity for all actions, including those that “cross the line,” saying it would be “impossible” for the president to “function properly” without it. .
In an appeal filed in December, Trump alleges that while carrying out the duties of his office, he made unsubstantiated claims that Democrats rigged the 2020 presidential election in favor of President Joe Biden. He claimed immunity from prosecution for the acts he committed.
Trump, who won last month's Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary and is likely to become the party's nominee, also claims the case is a form of election interference and plans to file another criminal trial in November. They are requesting that it be postponed until after the election.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, finding common ground and finding connections.
