Prior to Friday’s hearing in Florida, former President Donald Trump urged Judge Aileen Cannon to postpone his trial for classified documents until after the 2024 election in a court filing.
Trump is in the courtroom for a hearing in which Judge Cannon will review his request to postpone the trial, which is currently set for May 20.
In court documents on Thursday, special counsel Jack Smith suggested that the trial begin on July 8.
Read: Florida Rep. Steube Announces Veteran History Project Interview Featuring Veteran Dan O’Leary
Meanwhile, Trump once more asked that the trial be postponed until after the 2024 election, though he also offered an alternative start date of August 12.
“As the leading candidate in the 2024 election, President Trump strongly asserts that a fair trial cannot be conducted this year in a manner consistent with the Constitution, which affords President Trump a Sixth Amendment right to be present and to participate in these proceedings as well as, inter alia, a First Amendment right that he shares with the American people to engage in campaign speech,” Trump’s attorneys argued in a Thursday filing.
The document also includes a timeline that arranges Trump’s suggested schedule in relation to important dates and other legal deadlines.
Read: FBI Demands That Conservative Journalist Turn Himself In For J6 Reporting
According to Trump’s proposed August start date, the trial would take place following the July 15–18 Republican National Convention, his trial in the New York hush money case from March, and his April oral arguments before the Supreme Court regarding his attempt to have his case dismissed for presidential immunity related to election interference.
According to the filing, it is against established Department of Justice (DOJ) norms and rules to hold a trial before the election that actions that could affect the outcome of the election are taken.
Read: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz Slams “Sellout” House Republicans Over Temporary Spending Bill
“Given President Trump’s status as the presumptive Republican nominee and President Biden’s Chief political rival, a trial this year would also violate Justice Manual § 9-85.500, which applies to the Special Counsel’s Office, and prohibits “Actions that May Have an Impact on an Election,’ as well as established DOJ norms that former officials described—when talking about Hillary Clinton rather than President Trump—as consisting of “a general principle of avoiding interference in elections,’” Trump’s attorneys said.
Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter.