Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday indicated that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s March 4 trial date in Trump’s January 6 case in DC will likely be delayed.
It has been noted that in a 6-page order, Judge Chutkan, an Obama appointee, barred Jack Smith from filing any more motions amid Trump’s immunity argument currently pending a decision by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.
Meanwhile, Chutkan also denied Trump’s request to hold Jack Smith and his prosecutors in contempt for violating her order to stay all legal proceedings.
Last month, lawyers representing former US President Donald Trump argued that he is immune from federal prosecution for any alleged crimes committed while he held the office. In response, Judge Tanya Chutkan halted proceedings in Trump’s January 6 case in DC, citing a dispute over the former president’s immunity argument.
In addition to this, Trump’s legal team had previously requested Judge Chutkan to hold Special Counsel Jack Smith in contempt for violating her order to stay all proceedings in the January 6 case.
“The prosecutors’ filings and productions, Docs 188, 191, attempt to achieve both of those unlawful goals,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a motion accusing Jack Smith of “knowingly, repeatedly and blatantly violating this Court’s Stay Order.”
On Thursday, Judge Chutkan denied Trump’s request to hold Jack Smith in contempt, stating that his court filings were related to discovery requests. However, she ordered Jack Smith’s team to stop all court filings until a ruling is made by the federal appeals court regarding Trump’s immunity argument.
Last Tuesday morning, President Trump’s attorney John Sauer argued Trump’s immunity claims in Jack Smith’s DC case before a three-judge panel for the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.
A three-judge panel heard oral arguments last Tuesday and appeared skeptical of Trump’s immunity claims – one judge, a Biden appointee, asked attorney John Sauer if Trump would be subject to criminal prosecution if he ordered SEAL Team 6 to assassinate his political rivals.
“Could a president who ordered SEAL Team 6 to assassinate a political rival, and is not impeached, would he be subject to criminal prosecution?” Judge Florence Pan, a Biden appointee asked John Sauer.
