(WatchDogReport.org) – Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team filed a request on December 27, urging a federal judge to block former President Donald Trump from presenting evidence at his Jan. 6 criminal trial. The move aimed to prevent Trump from discussing selective prosecution or security failures at the Capitol and from contending that the First Amendment safeguarded his actions. Senior Assistant Special Counsel Molly Gaston emphasized that Trump’s attempts to inject political attacks and irrelevant issues into the case were unsuitable for a jury trial.
Gaston said it was necessary to exclude Trump’s claims in order to maintain the jury’s focus on factual assessment and the court’s instructions. The filing seeks to restrict Trump from asserting selective prosecution and from introducing evidence to support such claims. It also aims to prevent him from implicating Capitol Police and Washington D.C. officials in security lapses during the riot.
Furthermore, Smith’s team highlighted Trump’s alleged intention to discredit the investigation’s integrity by raising baseless claims, such as what they say is nonexistent coordination with the Biden administration. They urged the court to prohibit Trump from using phrases like “Injustice Department” or similar terminology during the trial.
The special counsel argued against Trump’s potential defenses related to foreign disinformation and blaming law enforcement or Mayor Muriel Bowser for Capitol protection failures on Jan. 6, 2021. Smith’s team reiterated that Trump’s attempts to divert blame or introduce what they deem to be irrelevant information should be excluded from the proceedings.
Trump responded with a statement criticizing the prosecution, asserting that the Supreme Court’s recent rejection of his case against a rushed trial should be respected. He pointed out the alleged bias of the special counsel, referencing a recent denial from the Supreme Court regarding his claims of immunity. In his remarks, Trump accused District Court Judge Chutkan of having an obsession with targeting him and meddling in the 2024 Presidential Election, dubbing the judge as Biden’s “errand boy.”
The Supreme Court’s decision has implications for the trial’s March 4 start date, as it declined to immediately address Trump’s immunity claims, potentially delaying proceedings.
Copyright 2024, WatchDogReport.org
