Former President Donald Trump‘s attorneys and special counsel Jack Smith requested a three-week delay to proceedings in the federal 2020 election subversion case, citing a need to further evaluate the Supreme Court’s recent presidential immunity ruling.
“The Government continues to assess the new precedent set forth last month in the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. United States … including through consultation with other Department of Justice components,” according to the joint status report filed to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
Although Smith notes those “consultations are well underway,” the government has not finalized its position on the “most appropriate schedule for the parties to brief issues related to the decision,” the special counsel’s office wrote, referring to the Supreme Court ruling that found former presidents are immune from prosecution for “official” acts taken while in office.
Trump’s counsel did not object to the government’s request for an extension.
Smith’s office said they are available to proceed “any day after August 30” but noted Trump’s defense is not available on Sept. 6 and the week of Sept. 16, which is the week when New York Judge Juan Merchan is set to decide on whether the immunity ruling should result in overturning Trump’s criminal conviction in the separate criminal hush money case.
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Both parties were initially expected to submit filings beginning on Friday. Chutkan has currently slated a hearing for next Friday to begin work on the case after an eight month delay, which was prompted due to Trump’s immunity appeal effort.
This is a developing story and will be updated.