Democrats are using devious tactics to destroy Trump.
The trial date for the case led by Special Counsel Jack Smith against former President Trump, alleging interference in the 2020 presidential election, has been set by a federal judge. The trial is scheduled for March 4, 2024, placing it right in the midst of the GOP presidential primary calendar.
How is Trump going to be able to campaign for the presidency while also dealing with these legal troubles? That’s the thing, he can’t do both and Democrats know that. Many Americans believe this a tactic being used by the left to force Trump out of the 2024 race.
According to Fox, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, overseeing the District of Columbia, turned down Trump’s defense team’s suggestion of commencing the trial in April 2026, a considerable time after the 2024 presidential election results would be known. Instead, she opted for a date closer to what Smith and the government proposed—January 2, 2024. This date was advocated as a four-to-six-week trial duration, falling just weeks ahead of the Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary.
It’s noteworthy that Trump is the first former U.S. president facing criminal charges. However, the prospect of a criminal trial for a former president, who is also a prominent candidate leading the GOP presidential contenders, coinciding with the primary cycle, is likely to incite a significant political controversy.
Judge Chutkan declared both proposed dates unacceptable. Following the scheduling decision, Trump’s defense attorney, John Lauro, acknowledged their compliance with the judge’s ruling but expressed concerns about providing adequate representation. This statement was noted for the record. Judge Chutkan acknowledged Lauro’s perspective and announced her intention to issue a pre-trial schedule.
During a courtroom exchange, the topic of polling the citizens of the District of Columbia arose, potentially to gauge whether a change of venue motion would be appropriate. Judge Chutkan emphasized her vigilance against anything that might taint the jury pool.
Lauro indicated that the defense had not initiated such polling, but due to the accelerated trial schedule, they might consider doing so. He also noted that he hadn’t encountered a judge restricting such actions. In response, Judge Chutkan clarified that while she wouldn’t impose restrictions, she would safeguard the integrity of the District of Columbia’s jury pool.
The trial date follows Smith’s investigation into Trump’s alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot and purported interference in the 2020 election. Trump faced four federal charges stemming from Smith’s January 6 inquiry, to which he pleaded not guilty. These charges encompassed conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Concurrently, a federal judge in Florida scheduled a trial date for Trump on May 20, 2024.
Notably, President Biden is also subject to a special counsel investigation for alleged improper retention of classified records, although the current status of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s probe remains unclear.