A landmark interruption in former President Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case has transpired, led by federal Judge Tanya Chutkan. Amid appeals over a major issue in the trial, the judge has paused all procedural deadlines, potentially delaying the pending trial set for March 2024.
At the core of the issue is this: Special Counsel Jack Smith has requested the Supreme Court to determine whether Trump holds any immunity from criminal prosecution for supposed crimes committed during his term as president. Observers expect this decision by the Supreme Court might come around February, disrupting the current trial schedule.
An unexpected twist emerged as the Supreme Court decided to take up a case related to a January 6th rioter, Joseph Fisher. Fisher had been charged and convicted for obstruction of an official proceeding, his presence aimed to delay Congress from tallying electoral votes. With the Supreme Court deciding to examine this case, it raises questions about the applicability of the obstruction law to Trump's January 6th actions.
Notably, two out of the four charges against Trump are based on the obstruction law. If the Supreme Court decides the law does not apply to January 6th, these charges may be dropped, significantly impacting the case against Trump. It presents Special Counsel Jack Smith with a challenging situation, the feasible options appear to be proceeding to trial and hoping the Supreme Court decision favors the prosecution, dropping the two charges, or delaying the case until the Supreme Court ruling.
Furthermore, another major legal issue is to gain the attention of the Supreme Court as they will be deciding on a case linked to abortion access. With the court currently leaning conservatively, the decision could have far-reaching implications, pointing to critical legal challenges looming on the horizon.
In addition, the plight of family members who have lost loved ones or have relatives currently held by Hamas was brought before the president at the White House. Developments on this matter are anticipated, underlining the legal and human rights issues in play.