Trump Lawyers Ask Judge to Stay Documents Case After Supreme Court Immunity Decision

Former President Donald Trump’s legal team requested a Florida judge to partially pause his classified documents case, invoking the recent Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity. Citing the ruling that the former president is immune from certain charges related to official acts, his attorneys argued that the judge must halt most proceedings in the case until his immunity defense is resolved. They proposed a briefing schedule lasting until early September, just two months before the November election, emphasizing that the immunity ruling impacts the classified records case. The attorneys sought a stay on the case, with the exception of ruling on a request for a gag order. They emphasized the need to address threshold questions to minimize adverse consequences to the Presidency. Additionally, they requested permission to file a briefing on how the Supreme Court’s decision may impact the case, proposing deadlines for submission and response. The special counsel has accused Trump of retaining sensitive materials after leaving office and obstructing efforts to obtain them, to which Trump has pleaded not guilty. The former president’s legal team has argued for immunity from prosecution related to the handling of classified materials and maintained that decisions made during his presidency regarding the records should be considered official acts. The long-term schedule of the case is uncertain, with Judge Cannon yet to issue a ruling on the appointment of the special counsel. If Trump is elected in November, he could potentially terminate the case or pardon himself. This is not the first time Trump’s lawyers have leveraged the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling in his legal battles. In New York, the ruling affected a sentencing date in a separate case involving falsifying business records. The former president’s lawyers have opposed a gag order, asserting his First Amendment rights, while the special counsel’s office has raised concerns about his comments posing a threat to law enforcement. The Justice Department and Mr. Smith’s team have not provided comments or responses at this time. Please rewrite this sentence.

Source link