A judge granted special counsel Jack Smith’s request Friday to pause all pending deadlines in his election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump.
“As a result of the election held on November 5, 2024, the defendant is expected to be certified as President-elect on January 6, 2025, and inaugurated on January 20, 2025,” prosecutors wrote in the filing. “The Government respectfully requests that the Court vacate the remaining deadlines in the pretrial schedule to afford the Government time to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.”
Smith informed Judge Tanya Chutkan that he intends to file a status report or “otherwise inform the Court” of his determination by Dec. 2.
BREAKING: Special counsel Jack Smith asks Judge Tanya Chutkan to pause all deadlines in Trump’s case in light of his election victory to give the government time to “assess this unprecedented circumstance.” pic.twitter.com/460popztEc
— Katelynn Richardson (@katesrichardson) November 8, 2024
The motion marks a definitive retreat for Smith, who has aggressively pursued the case, attempted to fast-track proceedings ahead of the election and filed a massive motion containing his evidence against Trump in the weeks before Nov. 5.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) began considering how to wind down the cases against Trump shortly after he won, NBC News reported Wednesday. Trump has previously said he would fire Smith “within two second” of taking office.
Under DOJ policy, sitting presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted.
After he was convicted in May, Trump said election day would be the real verdict.
A jury of over 72 million Americans voted Nov. 5 to send him back to the White House.
Now that he’s won, what happens to his legal battles? @DailyCaller
https://t.co/LHXdsmW3Lc
— Katelynn Richardson (@katesrichardson) November 7, 2024
Trump’s victory likely puts him in the clear for his state-level cases as well, as long as prosecutors do not try to prolong them beyond inauguration, legal experts told the DCNF.
Trump’s Nov. 26 sentencing date in New York is still on the calendar, though Judge Juan Merchan has not yet ruled on Trump’s motion to vacate his conviction based on the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling. In May, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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