(BrightPress.org) – Judge Tanya Chutkan is expected to set up “mini trials” to figure out if Trump has presidential immunity in his fraud cases. Trump’s legal team will likely try to block these hearings because they could embarrass him before the election.
Judge Chutkan might call former Vice President Mike Pence and other key Trump administration officials to speak. This could be problematic for Trump since the election fraud indictment alleges that he made incriminating remarks to Pence, who has often criticized Trump since leaving office.
Kristy Greenberg, a legal analyst, wrote on X that Trump doesn’t want the American people to hear the January 6 evidence before the election. She also said to expect briefings this summer and mini-trials this fall before the election.
Trump was charged with four counts for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election results before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The case was paused while the Supreme Court reviewed the issue of presidential immunity.
This case is one of four criminal charges Trump is battling while he campaigns as the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. He’s denied all the charges and claims it’s all a big political attack against him. He was found guilty in the hush money trial but is appealing the conviction.
On July 1, the Supreme Court decided that there are three types of immunity for presidents: full immunity for key presidential duties, presumed immunity for official actions, and no immunity for unofficial actions.
When Chutkan resumes the case, she will need to sort out which parts of the indictment belong in each of the three immunity categories.
Trump’s plan is to resolve the issue through legal arguments alone, hoping that a more extended process might help his case.
Chief prosecutor Jack Smith claims that Trump is delaying the trial to avoid dealing with it before the 2024 presidential election.
Justice Department policy delays criminal cases against sitting presidents. If Trump wins in November, prosecutors will need to wait until after his term ends to continue the case.
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