{"id":2323539,"date":"2024-08-13T05:18:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T09:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/three-reasons-why-smith-wanted-to-delay-trump-2020-election-case-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-13T05:23:10","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T09:23:10","slug":"three-reasons-why-smith-wanted-to-delay-trump-2020-election-case-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/three-reasons-why-smith-wanted-to-delay-trump-2020-election-case-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Three reasons why Smith wanted to delay Trump 2020 election case &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthree-reasons-why-smith-wanted-to-delay-trump-2020-election-case-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2323539&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The\u200d article\u2064 discusses the recent developments in\u200b the legal proceedings against Donald Trump regarding the 2020 election. Special Counsel Jack Smith&#8217;s motion to postpone \u2064an important court deadline was granted by U.S.\u200d District Judge Tanya Chutkan, which has implications for the\u2064 timeline of the trial. Legal experts\u2063 suggest that a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scotus-immunity-ruling-further-delays-d-c-trump-trial\/\" title=\"SCOTUS Immunity Ruling Further Delays D.C. Trump Trial\">pre-election trial<\/a> is increasingly unlikely due to \u2064these \u200cdelays, with attorneys\u200d indicating \u2062that the prospects for a hearing before the November election diminishes as\u2062 proceedings\u2064 drag on.<\/p>\n<p>Three primary reasons are proposed for Smith&#8217;s decision\u2063 to seek a delay: <\/p>\n<p>1. **Unified Position within the DOJ**: Smith&#8217;s\u200d office \u2062is consulting \u200cwith various components of the\u2064 Department of Justice to ensure\u2063 a unified \u200dstance concerning presidential immunity, especially following the Supreme Court&#8217;s\u2064 ruling that former \u200cpresidents might have certain protections regarding their official actions.<\/p>\n<p>2. **Potential Superseding Indictment**: There is speculation that Smith may be preparing a superseding \u2062indictment\u200d that \u200bcould include additional charges or \u200dinvolve more individuals \u200dclose to \u200cTrump, as some current charges may not hold up under the new interpretation of presidential\u200c immunity.<\/p>\n<p>3. **Political Considerations**: \u2062The article hints at the impact\u200b of \u200cpolitical factors, as the timeline of the \u200ctrial could\u200d affect Trump&#8217;s ongoing 2024 reelection campaign.<\/p>\n<p>the article highlights the complexities and\u200c potential repercussions of the delays in Trump&#8217;s legal proceedings amidst the \u2064upcoming election.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Three reasons why Smith wanted to delay Trump 2020 election case<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1728920\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>When the criminal cases against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a> were just beginning to unfold last year, it was the former president who made every effort to stall and delay proceedings as he forged ahead with his 2024 reelection campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Just days after the case returned to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan&rsquo;s courtroom, she granted special counsel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jack-smith\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jack Smith<\/a>&lsquo;s motion to postpone an Aug. 9 deadline until Aug. 30 for a filing that would help her set a schedule for the remainder of the case.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Special counsel Jack Smith arrives to speak about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, at a Department of Justice office in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Chutkan, who expressed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3111167\/chutkan-jumpstarts-trump-jan-6-case-signaling-aggressive-pace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>eagerness to move the case quickly<\/a> after waiting eight months for the Supreme Court to determine Trump&rsquo;s presidential immunity fight, agreed on Friday to reschedule the next in-person hearing from Aug. 16 to Sept. 5, just 60 days before Election Day.<\/p>\n<p>Although legal experts have long said the opportunity for a pre-election trial has come and gone, those attorneys now say there is an even slimmer chance Chutkan can make headway on pretrial evidentiary hearings ahead of the Nov. 5 election.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The downside of delay is that [to] the extent that people think there could be a hearing, a factual hearing where we hear from witnesses, the more there&rsquo;s a delay, the less likely that is going to happen before the election,&rdquo; former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-ag-barr-authorizes-federal-prosecutors-to-pursue-substantial-allegations-of-voting-irregularities-before-2020-election-is-certified\/\" title=\"BREAKING: AG Barr Authorizes Federal Prosecutors to Pursue &quot;Substantial Allegations&quot; of Voting Irregularities Before 2020 Election is Certified\">federal prosecutor<\/a> Andrew Weissmann <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msnbc.com\/the-last-word\/watch\/andrew-weissmann-explains-jack-smith-s-delay-request-in-trump-s-jan-6-case-216879685572\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>told<\/a> MSNBC on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Here are three reasons why Smith may have delayed the case:<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Everyone in DOJ wants to be on the same page<\/h2>\n<p>Without explicit explanation, Smith&rsquo;s office indicated that the Department of Justice at large was taking a broader look at the impacts of the immunity decision not just in the Trump case, but how its precedent may impact other divisions at the agency.<\/p>\n<p>Several legal experts and former prosecutors say Smith hinted at this issue when he wrote in court filings that he is engaging in &ldquo;consultation with other Department of Justice components.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Former federal prosecutor Shan Wu wrote for the <em>Daily Beast <\/em>that such components would likely include &ldquo;the office of the Deputy Attorney General, the Criminal Division, the Office of Legal Counsel, the office of the Solicitor General as well as the Office of the Attorney General,&rdquo; to ensure that the DOJ is unified around one position on presidential immunity.<\/p>\n<p>The workload for this case has also flip-flopped since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/number-of-children-seeking-gender-reassignment-soared-by-20-per-cent-during-uk-lockdowns\/\" title=\"Number of Children Seeking Gender Reassignment Soared by 20 Per Cent During UK Lockdowns\">high court found<\/a> former presidents do enjoy certain immunities for official acts they take while in office. Trump is sure to argue that he is immune from every aspect of the four-count indictment, while Smith will have to present his arguments, based on the vaguely written <em>Trump v. United States <\/em>ruling, as to what can and cannot stick.<\/p>\n<p>Joyce Vance, another former federal prosecutor, argued in her newsletter that the case is &ldquo;one of the most important indictments ever,&rdquo; noting &ldquo;you need to make sure you&rsquo;ve got it right.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Smith could be planning superseding indictment<\/h2>\n<p>The other possibility for Smith&rsquo;s delay tactic could be that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-debate-performance-renews-spotlight-on-hur-tapes-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Biden debate performance renews spotlight on Hur tapes - Washington Examiner\">special counsel&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s office is gearing up for a superseding indictment that could aim to ensnare more people in Trump&rsquo;s close circle, or one that merely subtracts from the current indictment.<\/p>\n<p>Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, witness tampering, conspiracy against the rights of citizens, and obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, which encompasses his challenging of the election results after his defeat in November 2020.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Some legal experts have suggested one or more charges could be tossed in light of the Supreme Court&rsquo;s immunity ruling, though not all are able to agree on which ones would not survive a revised superseding indictment.<\/p>\n<p>Others, such as Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former federal prosecutor who has practiced privately since 2021, recently questioned why unnamed co-conspirators from the indictment &mdash; who appear to be Rudy Giuliani, lawyer John Eastman, lawyer Sidney Powell, former DOJ official Jeff Clark, and lawyer Ken Chesebro &mdash; have not been indicted by the federal government.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When are they going to be indicted?&rdquo; she asked during a podcast on the liberal MeidasTouch website.<\/p>\n<p>Weissmann indirectly answered this question during his MSNBC appearance on Friday, saying he doubted that Smith would drag other co-conspirators into the case because there is nothing that would have precluded him from taking those steps while the Supreme Court was weighing the immunity case.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There would be no reason that Jack Smith could not have sought an indictment of underlings before that or have sought it sooner than needing another three weeks,&rdquo; Weissman said.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Kamala factor<\/h2>\n<p>Last but not least, the third reason why Smith could be pumping the brakes on the pace of this case is the election battle between Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump.<\/p>\n<p>It has long been predicted that if Trump wins back the Oval Office, he would order his attorney general to dismiss the two federal indictments against him. He&rsquo;s already partially succeeded on one front after U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-asks-supreme-court-to-reject-trump-request-in-fbi-classified-documents-case\/\" title=\"DOJ Asks Supreme Court to Reject Trump Request in FBI Classified Documents Case\">classified documents case<\/a> on the basis that Smith was improperly appointed and funded.<\/p>\n<p>But if Trump does not win, it will only truly be the beginning of his legal woes. The former president will more than likely have to stand trial in at least two more cases, including the similarly problem-plagued case in Georgia, which faces its own unique slate of hurdles before heading to a potential trial.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Even if there&rsquo;s nothing that happens between now and the election, if she is elected this case is going to go forward,&rdquo; Weissmann said.<\/p>\n<p>If Democrats feel confident that Harris can defeat Trump, then they likely see no need at this point to wait and see what the voters think of the DOJ&rsquo;s legal onslaught against Trump.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1728920\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1728920\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>**Three Reasons Smith Aimed to Postpone Trump&#8217;s 2020 Election Case**<\/p>\n<p>As the criminal cases against Donald Trump began last year, he actively sought to delay proceedings while pursuing his 2024 reelection campaign. Now, the situation has reversed. Shortly after the case returned to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan&#8217;s court, she approved special counsel Jack Smith&#8217;s request to extend an August 9 deadline to August 30 for a filing that would assist her in establishing a timeline for the case. Judge Chutkan, who had been eager to expedite the process after waiting eight months for a Supreme Court ruling on Trump&#8217;s presidential immunity claim, rescheduled the next in-person hearing from August 16 to September 5\u2014just two months before Election Day.<\/p>\n<p>Legal experts have suggested that the chance for a pre-election trial has diminished significantly, with some arguing that as delays continue, it becomes increasingly unlikely that any hearings involving witnesses will occur before November 5. Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann noted on MSNBC that prolonged delays reduce the likelihood of such hearings happening prior to the election.<\/p>\n<p>Here are three potential reasons why Smith may have opted for this delay:<\/p>\n<p>1. **Unified DOJ Strategy**: Without providing specific details, Smith\u2019s office indicated that they were considering how recent immunity decisions could affect not only Trump&#8217;s case but also other areas within the Department of Justice (DOJ). Legal experts believe this involves consultations with various DOJ components\u2014including offices like those of Deputy Attorney General and Solicitor General\u2014to ensure a cohesive stance on presidential immunity.<\/p>\n<p>2. **Potential Superseding Indictment**: Another reason behind Smith\u2019s delay could be preparations for a superseding indictment aimed at including more individuals close to Trump or modifying existing charges. Trump faces multiple charges related to conspiracy and obstruction stemming from his actions following his electoral defeat in November 2020. Some legal analysts speculate certain charges might be reconsidered due to recent Supreme Court rulings regarding immunity; however, there is disagreement over which charges might survive such revisions.<\/p>\n<p>3. **Impact of Kamala Harris&#8217; Candidacy**: Lastly, another factor influencing Smith&#8217;s pacing could be related to Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019 potential matchup against Trump in future elections. If Trump were re-elected and appointed an attorney general willing to dismiss federal indictments against him\u2014an outcome he partially achieved with one dismissed case\u2014it would complicate matters further if he loses instead and faces additional legal challenges ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Weissmann remarked that even if no developments occur before Election Day and Harris wins, proceedings against Trump will likely continue regardless of public sentiment towards ongoing legal actions by DOJ officials against him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2323540,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Jack-Smith-06.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[32675,32285,7608,3634],"class_list":["post-2323539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-2020-election","tag-legal-case","tag-smith","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Jack-Smith-06.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2323539","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2323539"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2323539\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2323540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2323539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2323539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2323539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}