(Washington) – The U.S. Supreme Court has set April 25 for arguments on the issue of criminal immunity invoked by Donald Trump as a former president, according to the court's April calendar published Wednesday.
The nation's highest court decided on February 28 to take up the issue, delaying the former president's federal trial on charges he attempted to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The presumptive Republican nominee for November's presidential election, targeted by four separate criminal proceedings, is seeking through his multiple appeals to appear in court as soon as possible, if at all after the vote.
His trial was initially scheduled to begin on charges of illegal attempts to overturn the election results won by Democrat Joe Biden on March 4. But the entire procedure has been put on hold while the courts decide the issue of criminal immunity claimed by Donald Trump.
On February 6, the Federal Court of Appeals ruled out this criminal immunity. Therefore, Donald Trump resorted to the Supreme Court to obtain a suspension of this decision.
Conversely, Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, who is investigating the case, urged the Supreme Court to deny this request for comment. He also recommended not taking up the issue, but if you do, setting a quick timeline.
Photo by Jonathan Ernst, Reuters archive
Conversely, Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, who is investigating the case, urged the Supreme Court to deny this request for comment.
The Supreme Court partly satisfied Donald Trump by not allowing the appeal decision to take effect until after it had ruled for itself.
By scheduling discussions for “the week of April 22,” it grants the plaintiff’s request for an earlier deadline.
But most legal and political commentators view the Supreme Court's decision as a success for Donald Trump's delaying strategy, because it further reduces the chances of a trial taking place before the presidential election, even if the nine justices reject his immunity.
His federal trial in Florida over his alleged casual handling of classified documents, which is also being prosecuted by special prosecutor Jack Smith and is scheduled to begin May 20, is also expected to be delayed by several months.
Jack Smith's team last week proposed July 8 as the new start date for the trial.
Donald Trump's lawyers reiterated their opposition to trial “before the end of the 2024 presidential election,” however they mentioned the date of August 12, but suggested that the court should wait until the Supreme Court rules on the criminal immunity claimed by their client. .
If elected again, once inaugurated in January 2025, he could order federal proceedings against him to be halted.
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