The Supreme Court has rejected Special Counsel Jack Smith's plea to quickly rule on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted for his actions following the 2020 presidential election.
The decision means the question of immunity will not be expedited and returns to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
It also imperils the March 4, 2024 trial date for Trump's Jan. 6 case, as The Washington Times explains:
Smith had pressed the Supreme Court to intervene over concerns that the legal fight over the issue could delay the start of Trump's trial, now scheduled for March 4, beyond next year's presidential election.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has put the case on hold while Trump pursues his claim in higher courts that he is immune from prosecution. Chutkan raised the possibility of keeping the March date if the case promptly returns to her court.
She already has rejected the Trump team's arguments that an ex-president could not be prosecuted over acts that fall within the official duties of the job.
“Former presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability,” Chutkan wrote in her Dec. 1 ruling. “Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office.”
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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