It seems like the legal drama around former President Donald Trump is just never-ending. In the latest twist, Trump’s legal team has made a move to hold special counsel Jack Smith in contempt of court. And boy, does this story have more layers than an onion! So, what’s the beef this time? Trump’s attorneys are accusing Smith of disregarding a stay order that paused the trial until Trump’s immunity claim can be considered by an appeals court. The stay was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan on December 13th, 2023. But according to Trump’s lawyers, Smith has been playing fast and loose with the rules.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. Despite the stay, Smith has allegedly continued to submit thousands of pages of documents in evidence. Trump’s legal team argues that Smith is effectively acting as an “arm of the Biden Campaign.”
Trump’s lawyers have claimed that the prosecutors are trying to use the stay to spread political propaganda. They argue that Smith’s actions have turned the court’s docket into a campaign tool for Biden. If that doesn’t sound like a political thriller, I don’t know what does!
New: Trump’s legal team seeks to hold special counsel Jack Smith in contempt for purportedly violating the court’s order staying proceedings in district court. https://t.co/ZOzysOjBvw pic.twitter.com/i4kDTet5jP
— Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) January 4, 2024
But wait, there’s more. Trump’s legal team isn’t just asking for a slap on the wrist. They’re demanding monetary sanctions equal to their fees and expenses incurred responding to the prosecutors’ alleged misconduct. Talk about hitting where it hurts!
Between December 17th and 18th, prosecutors submitted over 4,000 pages of “additional discovery” and “exhibit lists.” Trump’s lawyers see this as a ploy to politically injure him ahead of the GOP presidential primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire.
In their words, “Unstated, but obvious, is the prosecutors’ desperate effort to harass President Trump and prevent his likely victory in the 2024 Presidential Election.” Yikes!
The D.C. court is expected to hear arguments on the immunity matter on January 9th. Meanwhile, Smith’s team argues that Trump’s claim is a distraction meant to delay the trial past its March 4th date. Smith seems intent on prosecuting Trump before he could potentially win the 2024 election and seek to have the case dismissed as the 47th president.