As the federal election interference case against former President Donald Trump came to a screeching halt Wednesday, Trump’s campaign hailed the latest development as a major victory.
The former president and leading GOP contender in the 2024 race has argued that his actions in fighting back against the results of the 2020 presidential election come under the umbrella of his duties as president and as such should be protected by the immunity that covers the office. That would mean the charges against him would be thrown out.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan disagreed in a fiery Dec. 1 ruling that said Trump’s “four-year service as Commander in Chief did not bestow on him the divine right of kings to evade the criminal accountability that governs his fellow citizens,” according to CNN.
Trump appealed the ruling, beginning a chain of appeals that is not likely to stop until it reaches the U.S. Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, Chutkan issued an order recognizing that the case might not make it to trial if Trump is successful in his appeal.
“Defendant’s appeal automatically stays any further proceedings that would move this case towards trial or impose additional burdens of litigation on Defendant,” the judge wrote, adding that the ruling “STAYS the deadlines and proceedings scheduled by its Pretrial Order, as amended.”
The ruling noted that the pause lasts only as long as the appeals process continues and that any delay to the scheduled March 4 trial date would be considered based on the time it takes for the court system to deal with the former president’s appeal.
It also said restrictions upon Trump, including a gag order Chutkan issued, remain in effect.
Trump’s campaign said the ruling will deprive special prosecutor Jack Smith of what Trump has alleged the Biden administration wants most — a trial that takes place before the 2024 presidential election.
Is Jack Smith trying to ensure Biden wins in 2024?
“This is a big win for President Trump and our rule of law, as it derails Deranged Jack Smith’s rush to judgment strategy of interfering in the 2024 Presidential Election in support of Joe Biden’s campaign,” Trump campaign representative Steven Cheung said, according to The Hill.
“They waited almost three years to bring this hoax ‘case’ and are now desperately trying, and failing, to rush it because they know President Trump is dominating the election,” Cheung said.
“The Constitution should not be suspended in a baseless prosecution against the leading candidate for President. The American people, not the courts, should decide who becomes president, and they are supporting President Trump in historic numbers,” he said.
Smith already has asked the Supreme Court to give him special treatment to expedite its hearing of Trump’s appeal on the immunity issue.
The Supreme Court has asked the Trump legal team to reply to Smith’s call for speed. The court will not meet again to consider the issue until Jan. 5.
The former president offered his own commentary on Smith’s tactics in a post on Truth Social.
“So Deranged Jack Smith, the Biden appointed ‘nut job’ prosecutor with a big record of loses because he goes too far, wants to RUSH,RUSH,RUSH to the Supreme Court on the important matter of Presidential Immunity, something which is so basic to America that it should be automatic,” he wrote.
“He doesn’t want to go to our Highest Court with a loss, or negative opinion, but what he does want to do is INTERFERE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2024, hoping to damage Biden’s POLITICAL OPPONENT,” Trump said.
“In other words he want to CHEAT, because if they really wanted SPEED, they would have brought this ridiculous lawsuit 3 years ago, and it would be long ago over. But no, they Waited, and Waited, and Waited, and brought it right in the middle of my Presidential Campaign – THE DEFINITION OF ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!!” he wrote.
Trump is facing four felony charges in relation to his challenge of the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol incursion.
