According to Mediaite, the Supreme Court of the United States has declined Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request to expedite the appeal regarding former President Donald Trump’s claim of immunity in response to criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. This decision comes after Judge Tanya Chutkan, earlier in the month, denied two motions to dismiss from Trump’s legal team based on First Amendment and presidential immunity claims.
Trump appealed the ruling, and Smith took the unusual step of directly filing a request with the Supreme Court, bypassing the typical route through the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Smith argued that the case involved “an issue of exceptional national importance” and sought an immediate ruling on the immunity issue, which is crucial to determining Trump’s criminal liability.
The rejection of Smith’s request by the Supreme Court means that the appeal will follow the standard process, with oral arguments scheduled for January 9 at the appellate court. This decision is seen as a strategic move by Trump to potentially delay criminal prosecutions and civil trials as the 2024 election approaches. The Supreme Court’s denial of the request without further explanation or dissents is significant in shaping the trajectory of the legal proceedings against the former president.
