WASHINGTON. The federal Supreme Court enters the field in Donald Trump's legal proceedings. Special Prosecutor Jack Smith has requested urgent intervention from the High Court to decide whether Trump is less entitled to immunity in the proceedings against him for attempts to subvert the outcome of the 2020 election.
In fact, the former president appealed a lower court's ruling on immunity. Until the issue is resolved, the actual hearing – scheduled for March 4th – will not be able to start. Hence Smith's choice to clear the ground of obstacles and appeal to the Supreme Court which will have the final word.
However, the intervention of the Supreme Court does not mean that the appeals procedure will automatically be considered extinguished. The lawyers and the prosecutor will first of all have to provide their arguments on the need to act urgently.
Smith's move is unusual. It is uncommon for the federal government to ask the Court to interfere in judicial proceedings and to do so quickly. “The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request, and that this is an extraordinary case,” the attorney explained.
The timing of Trump's trials is still unclear and worries both Smith and the defense, which would like to delay them and move at least the most sensitive ones beyond the November vote. In addition to the indictment for electoral interference, the former tycoon is under investigation for sensitive documents found at Mar-a-Lago; for the dark funds with which he paid the porn star Stormy Daniel; and is on trial in Georgia where he is accused of conspiring to change the outcome of the vote.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges. What Smith therefore wants to do is resolve the issue of immunity at the Supreme Court level in order to proceed with the trials. The former president's lawyers responded by saying that the prosecutor wants to interfere and influence the 2024 electoral process with his behavior.
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