Donald Trump just got more bad news in court as Judge Tanya Chutkan has ruled against him again. Special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the case related to the January 6 Capitol riot, secured another victory. This time, the judge ruled that Smith could submit a 180-page brief of evidence against Trump. Trump’s lawyers tried to stop it, but the judge didn’t agree. This is a big setback for Trump, who is trying to delay the trial.
Trump’s legal team, which includes Todd Blanche and John Lauro, has been fighting hard to push the trial back. They argue that having this case so close to the 2024 election is “incredibly unfair” to Trump. However, Judge Chutkan rejected this idea, stating that the election has nothing to do with the trial’s timeline.
“For the second time in a week, Defendant urges reconsideration of the current pretrial schedule in a brief intended to respond to a separate issue, and without actually filing a motion to that effect,” Chutkan wrote. “The court has already addressed the scheduling objections Defendant raised when he was given an opportunity to do so.”
This means Trump’s team failed to use the correct legal process to change the schedule.
Trump’s lawyers also described the 180-page document as a “false hit piece.” They claimed it wouldn’t be useful for the court and is just an unfair attack on Trump’s character. They also claimed that it was like an early report from Jack Smith’s team, calling it “a premature and improper Special Counsel report.” However, the judge disagreed and explained that submitting briefs like this is a normal part of legal cases. “It is simply how litigation works,” Judge Chutkan said.
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This case is very serious for Trump. It focuses on his actions around the 2020 election. Prosecutors say that Trump knew he lost the election to Joe Biden but still tried to change the results. Conversations between Trump, his lawyers, and then-Vice President Mike Pence show that Trump knew he didn’t win, but he kept pushing to challenge the results. Recently, Trump even admitted he lost to Biden “by a whisker.” This admission could hurt him in court because it shows that he knew the truth.
Jack Smith filed a new indictment against Trump in August. This new filing focuses on Trump’s private actions, not his official role as president. This is important because the Supreme Court has given Trump immunity for official acts. However, private actions are not protected, and this means Trump could be held accountable for what he did outside his presidential duties.
Trump has faced legal trouble before, but this case is different. It’s not just about his businesses or personal finances; it’s about his actions as president. This case reminds us of the investigation by Robert Mueller during Trump’s presidency. In that case, Trump also tried to use his power to avoid consequences, but investigators kept pushing forward. This time, the stakes are even higher because Trump is accused of trying to overturn an election.
Judge Chutkan’s ruling makes it clear that Trump’s legal troubles aren’t going away. Despite his team’s best efforts, they can’t stop the trial. As it moves forward, more details about Trump’s actions during the 2020 election will come out, and things could get messy for him. It’s a reminder that no one, not even a former president, is above the law.
Featured image via Screengrab
