According to liberal legal analyst Andrew Weissman, the federal election interference case against former President Donald Trump is facing challenges and is on “life support.” Weissman expressed pessimism about the case’s prospects in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to review Trump’s claims of presidential immunity.
Weissman acknowledged that even if Trump does not secure immunity, the Supreme Court’s involvement is still a significant victory for him. He suggested that the court’s decision to take up the case puts the D.C. case “on life support” and makes it difficult for the trial to proceed before the upcoming election.
“I do not have the view that they took this case because they’re going to hand out a win to Donald Trump in the Colorado case, but here they’re going to give him a defeat by essentially saying there is no presidential immunity in this case. Yes, of course, I think they will ultimately not grant immunity in this case, but they have given him the win because the D.C. case, let’s just face it, is on life support now,” Weissman said on MSNBC.
He went on to explain that it’s challenging to see how the case can go to trial before the election, suggesting that if Joe Biden wins, the case will move forward, but if he loses, the case might be over.
Weissman also commented on Trump’s efforts to keep his D.C. case on hold and avoid the litigation of allegations in the indictment, speculating that Trump aims to prevent the presentation of facts in court where they matter, allowing him to maintain that it’s a smear campaign by political adversaries.
The legal timeline poses challenges for the prosecution, with Trump’s D.C. case and another federal case related to mishandling classified documents at Mar-a-Lago currently on hold while the Supreme Court considers his immunity claim. Trump’s legal team could extend appeals, potentially delaying the start of federal trials into the summer. Additionally, routine requests to review evidence could further contribute to delays.
The Justice Department’s policy to pause politically sensitive trials 60 days before major elections adds another layer of complexity. If Trump is not convicted or acquitted by September 5th, he may not see another day in court if he defeats President Biden.
