WASHINGTON, D.C. – Twenty-two state attorneys general have asked the Supreme Court to rule on special counsel Jack Smith’s rush to indict former President Donald Trump on charges of conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election. They asked that it be halted until the court rules on whether it will be allowed. .
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R-Ala.) led 22 states. Court summary Smith’s sudden push to prosecute the president before the 2024 election “led to public speculation that this case had an improper purpose to influence the 2024 election.” He asked the court to suspend the prosecution of Mr. Smith.
The authors of the brief argue that holding off until the courts decide on the issue of Trump’s presidential immunity would help restore the integrity of the justice system in the eyes of the American people.
President Trump recently filed a petition with the court to reverse the D.C. Circuit’s ruling that the president is not immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office.
Mr. Marshall and his co-authors supported Mr. Trump’s application, arguing that the serious implications of the presidential immunity issue require consideration by the nation’s highest court.
“Before a former president faces a federal criminal trial for the first time in our nation’s history, this court should determine whether such a trial is constitutionally permitted.”
The brief raises further questions about the Justice Department’s failure to press charges over the alleged conduct for more than two years before asserting its “unrelenting” demand to bring Trump to justice “as soon as possible.” is being raised.
“The timing is questionable, to say the least, and requires clarification,” the brief said. “But the United States has never proposed it.”
“[T]”Bringing criminal charges to influence elections is not a way to protect democracy and is not a legitimate purpose of law enforcement,” the brief continues.
The authors of the brief also suggest that President Joe Biden bears some responsibility for the misconduct.
President Biden himself declared in November 2022 that Donald Trump “will not seize power.” I am working to ensure that he does not become our next president again in a legitimate effort based on the Constitution. ” It looks worse than good that prosecutors are pressuring all the courts that review President Trump’s constitutional claims to move more quickly. This week, the prosecuting court said the quiet part out loud.[T]”This is not an isolated incident,” the Protect Democracy Project said. This is because a suspension could “delay the trial until after the 2024 election” and “deprive voters of relevant information.”
Trump announced on November 15, 2022, that he would seek the nomination, but had predicted his intentions in the days leading up to Biden’s comments.
Marshall and a coalition of attorneys general argue that the slowdown is necessary to ensure the constitutionality of the process and assure the public that the Justice Department is not interfering with the election.
“In contrast to the prosecutor’s haste, the fact that the defendant is a former president gives prosecutors reason to tread carefully to ensure that it is constitutional from the beginning. The fact that it is possible is even more reason to ensure fairness in appearance and reality.”
Joining Alabama are Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The application is US vs. Trump, United States Supreme Court No. 23A745.
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News’ Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
