In Washington, a legal dispute has emerged between Special Counsel Jack Smith and former President Donald Trump’s lawyers over the timeline for addressing pretrial issues in the election interference case.
In a late Friday filing, Trump’s legal team proposed delaying pretrial arguments until after the November 2024 election and the inauguration of the next president in January 2025. They expressed confidence in their ability to have the charges dismissed before trial.
On the other hand, Special Counsel Jack Smith did not suggest a specific schedule but requested priority for addressing the question of presidential immunity. Smith indicated readiness to provide written arguments on this matter at the court’s request.
The case involves charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. Trump’s defense argues that pretrial arguments related to dismissal should be prioritized due to their significant implications. They emphasize that resolving these issues could take considerable time and resources, asserting the need to address legal grounds before examining Trump’s official conduct during his presidency.
Earlier this week, Smith revised the indictment to align with a recent Supreme Court ruling that provides a presumption of immunity for presidential acts. While some elements of the original indictment were dropped, the core charges remain, alleging that Trump, determined to stay in power after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, attempted to undermine the election results.
The Supreme Court ruling on July 1 left it to Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which presidential actions might not be covered by immunity. Smith plans to show that certain actions by Trump post-election were not part of his official duties, thus challenging the presumption of immunity.
