U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan has delayed former President Donald Trump’s March 4 trial regarding election interference, pending an appeals court decision on his presidential immunity claim. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard Trump’s arguments on January 9, has yet to make a ruling, causing a notable postponement in what has been Trump’s swiftest federal criminal case. This delay follows the Supreme Court’s decision to not immediately address the immunity issue, deferring instead to the appeals court’s judgment.
Trump’s legal team argues that he should only face trial if impeached and convicted by the Senate, a stance that contrasts their previous position during Trump’s second impeachment. The appeals court’s judges have explored the limits of presidential immunity, questioning if it would protect a president from prosecution for extreme actions not covered by impeachment.
Judge Chutkan, who had rejected Trump’s immunity claims earlier, emphasized that former presidents are not entitled to any special protections against federal criminal liability. The suspension of the trial date allows for a thorough review of the appeals, ensuring a fair and speedy trial upon jurisdiction’s return to the district court.
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