Former President Donald Trump’s legal team has filed a motion to hold Special Counsel Jack Smith in contempt of court for his continued prosecution of Trump despite a court-ordered halt of the case. The motion accuses Smith of disregarding the court’s explicit instructions and using the case for political purposes.
Smith initially charged Trump with four federal counts related to his actions on January 6, 2021. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his trial was scheduled for March 4. However, in December, Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered Smith to halt the case while a federal appeals court considered whether Trump could claim presidential immunity for these charges.
Despite the court’s clear instructions to halt all activity on the case, Trump’s legal team alleges that Smith continued to take actions in violation of the freeze. They claim that Smith served thousands of pages of additional discovery and filed a motion in limine that repeated false accusations against Trump.
The legal team argues that Smith’s actions are politically motivated and designed to harass Trump and interfere with his potential 2024 presidential run. They have requested that Smith be held in contempt, withdraw his motion in limine, and be assessed monetary sanctions to cover Trump’s legal fees.
In a statement, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said, “Rather than respect the rule of law, Jack Smith unilaterally decided to disobey the stay order and continue with his harassing litigation, all done to keep parroting the pathetic Biden Campaign’s corrupt talking points in the name of election interference. As a result, President Trump is seeking to hold Deranged Jack in contempt of Court. No prosecutor is above the law.”
This latest legal development is part of the ongoing legal battles surrounding the events of January 6, 2021, and their potential impact on Trump’s political future. Trump has consistently maintained his innocence in these matters and has portrayed the charges against him as politically motivated.
As the case moves forward, it will likely continue to be a focal point of political and legal discussions, with implications for both Trump’s personal legal situation and the broader political landscape. It remains to be seen how the court will respond to Trump’s motion and whether it will have any bearing on the pending trial date. The outcome of this case could have significant ramifications for Trump’s potential run in the 2024 presidential election, and it will be closely watched by both his supporters and detractors.
