D.C. federal judge Tanya Chutkan said Monday that former President Donald Trump’s soon-to-be rescheduled trial in the 2020 election subversion case could take place after he becomes the 2024 Republican nominee. He dropped a subtle clue.
In a briefing on a separate case, Chutkan said he intended to leave the country later this year, before suggesting that Trump’s trial could thwart his plans.
“I hope you won’t be in this country on August 5th.” Politico reported Chutkan added that the situation would change if he was “on trial for another matter that is not yet back on the calendar.”
Last week, Mr. Chutkan formally withdrew the March 4 trial start date originally set for Mr. Trump’s 2020 election lawsuit.
The Republican National Convention, which will formally elect Trump as the party’s nominee if he wins the primary, is scheduled to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July 15-18.
Separately, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis set an August start date for the trial of Trump and 14 others accused of trying to illegally change the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. We are asking for 5 days.
A federal lawsuit against Trump has been paused while the D.C. Court of Appeals considers the 77-year-old’s lawyers’ claims, which concern official actions Trump took while president. They are exempt from prosecution.
Even if a D.C. court rules against Trump, Trump will likely appeal to the Supreme Court, further delaying the case.
Trump’s lawyers also argued that special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution represents double jeopardy because Trump was impeached by the House in connection with the January 6, 2021, riot. There is.
Last month, Mr. Trump’s team tried to hold Mr. Smith’s team in contempt of Mr. Chutkan for filing a court motion despite a judge’s injunction while immunity arguments were being discussed. It ended in failure.
Chutkan, an Obama-appointed judge, said he would set a new trial start date “if and when” the immunity issue is decided by the high court.
Trump faces a total of 91 criminal charges, spread across four separate indictments.
The 45th president vigorously denied all wrongdoing and maintained his innocence.
