Prosecutors seek to bar Trump from “raising irrelevant political issues” in Election Fraud Trials. On Wednesday, special counsel Jack Smith requested a judge to prevent Donald Trump’s lawyers from introducing politics into the trial.
The trial pertains to charges that the former president conspired to overturn the 2020 election results. In a 20-page filing to the U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, Smith’s office argued against allowing Trump’s lawyers to bring up irrelevant political issues in front of the jury.
This includes claims that the prosecution is vindictive, selective, or coordinated by President Joe Biden. “In addition to being wrong, these allegations are irrelevant to the jury’s determination of the defendant’s guilt or innocence, would be prejudicial if presented to the jury, and must be excluded,” prosecutors wrote.
The motion to preclude Trump from introducing broad categories of arguments is a way for prosecutors to try to set parameters on what information they believe the jury should or should not hear when the case reaches trial.
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It was filed as the case is effectively on hold during an appeal of the former president’s claims that he is immune from prosecution for acts taken while in the White House.
The Supreme Court recently opted not to intervene in the dispute. At the same time, a federal appeals panel is slated to hear arguments on the matter on Jan. 9. The trial, initially set for March 4 in federal court in Washington, may face potential delays pending appeals related to the immunity issue.
Trump accused Smith’s team of violating the law and defying the judge’s instructions. He labeled the motion “pathetic” and claimed it was an “illegal” effort to curtail his free speech rights during the trial.
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Trump argued that the motion aimed to prevent him from asserting that the case was a “political persecution.” The dispute is ongoing, with a federal appeals panel set to hear arguments on the matter on Jan. 9.
Trump’s lawyers had earlier asked Chutkan to dismiss the case on the grounds that the indictment was vindictive and selective.
Prosecutors argued on Wednesday that Trump’s request to dismiss the charges should be denied. Additionally, they insisted that his lawyers should be prohibited from making that argument to a jury during the trial.
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“Although the defendant is entitled to cross-examine the Government’s law enforcement witnesses about matters fairly within the scope of their direct testimony, he cannot raise wholly irrelevant topics in an effort to confuse and distract the jury,” prosecutors said.
“Much as the defendant would like it otherwise, this trial should be about the facts and the law, not politics.” Trump argued that the case is a political persecution, and he criticized the timing of the motion during a pause in the case. He insisted that this was an attempt to remove his right to argue his case.
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