Judge Postpones Trump's Federal Election Interference Trial

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Facts

  • On Friday, US District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan formally called off the March 4 trial date for the federal 2020 election subversion case against Donald Trump in Washington, DC, indefinitely postponing the proceeding.1
  • This comes as the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has yet to decide on an appeal by the former president that argues he has presidential immunity from charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election since he was still in office at that time.2
  • Given that Chutkan has to put evidentiary motions and pretrial deadlines on hold due to these immunity claims, the trial would likely be set no earlier than late April, even if the case were to restart immediately. Yet, an eventual ruling on the appeal will likely be challenged, causing further delays.3
  • The Republican 2024 frontrunner was charged with conspiracy to defraud the US and to obstruct an official proceeding, obstructing or attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights for his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, pleading not guilty to all of them.4
  • Another legal case against Trump was delayed earlier this week, as the New York State Office of Court Administration stated that a verdict in the $370M civil business fraud trial may come in early to mid-February despite initial expectations that it would be delivered by January.5
  • Meanwhile, Trump's trial in the criminal hush-money case involving adult film star Stormy Daniels is expected in late March, while a trial in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents is scheduled for late May. A trial date for the Georgia election conspiracy case has yet to be set.6

Sources: 1New York Times, 2National Review, 3POLITICO, 4FOX News, 5Washington Examiner and 6CNN.

Narratives

  • Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by The Gateway Pundit. Obama-appointed Judge Chutkan was forced to formally remove this trial against Trump from the court calendar, as higher courts must consider his constitutional immunity arguments before the case moves on. Throughout American history, no president has ever faced criminal prosecution for their official acts, which would require them to be impeached and convicted by the Senate first.
  • Anti-Trump narrative, as provided by Washington Post. This delay is indefensible as Trump has relied on an absurd claim of absolute immunity in a bid to seize a legal loophole and freeze his trial until after the election — so he can win and then order that the case be dropped. Given that the electorate has a right to know whether they're voting for a criminal, the former president must be tried before November.

Predictions