Raising the stakes, Jack Smith’s latest move in Trump’s D.C. trial earned a response from the Supreme Court and an MSNBC panelist deemed “game on.”
(Video: MSNBC)
Leapfrogging the appellate system, Special Counsel Jack Smith appeared determined that there be no delay in the scheduled March 4 start of the trial of former President Donald Trump regarding the alleged attempt to obstruct the certification of the 2020 presidential election. As such, on Monday he filed a petition for a writ of certiorari in a bid to get the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on claims of immunity presently, to which they responded.
“So, Jack Smith went to the U.S. Supreme Court and asked them to intervene on the question of presidential immunity. Because the appellate court hasn’t ruled yet,” explained Palm Beach County, Florida State Attorney Dave Aronberg to MSNBC’s Ali Velshi as news broke. “And, so, Jack Smith wants to speed this whole case along, the D.C. election interference case. That’s the only case I think’s going to be heard before the election. And the U.S. Supreme Court just now said that they will consider it.”
“So it’s game on,” asserted the attorney.
“And that’s a good thing. That shows the Supreme Court takes this matter seriously and wants Trump’s trial in D.C. to actually be heard before the election,” continued Aronberg.
In his filing seeking consideration from the court, Smith had contended, “It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s claims of immunity be resolved by this Court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected.”
20231211115417267_No. 23-62… by Aaron Parnas
Responding, the court had stated, “Petitioner’s motion to expedite consideration of the petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment is granted, and respondent is directed to file a response to the petition on or before 4 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.”
Velshi reiterated, “They are asking Donald Trump to respond, to file a written response. They are going to consider this. But they’re asking the respondent to file a response to the petition before 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December the 20th. So, one of the things we were discussing at the beginning of the show was whether this would happen, whether the Supreme Court would hear it, but more importantly the timeline. Right?”
“The reason Jack Smith went to the Supreme Court is because he wants this trial to start in March and Donald Trump would like this trial to possibly never happen,” the host argued. “And the danger was that the Supreme Court doesn’t hear this.”
“Right,” Aronberg agreed. “Trump wants this trial to happen half past never. And the issue is that the appellate court, they were sitting on the gag order. It took them weeks. And they’re like, come on. And, so, Jack Smith saw the writing on the wall and said, ‘Hey, Supreme Court, you’re going to get this case anyways, do it now.’ And the Supreme Court, just like they did in 1974, U.S. v. Nixon, decided to intervene.”
A spokesperson for the former president reacted informally by referring to Smith’s move as a “Hail Mary” and contending the only reason to “rush this Witch Hunt” was to “injure President Trump…”
“Crooked Joe Biden’s henchman, Deranged Jack Smith, is so obsessed with interfering in the 2024 Presidential Election, with the goal of preventing President Trump from retaking the Oval Office, as the President is poised to do, that Smith is willing to try for a Hail Mary by racing to the Supreme Court and attempting to bypass the Appellate Process. ‘Deranged’ may need to be reminded that the Supreme Court has not been kind to him,” read the statement,” including by handing down a rare unanimous rebuke when the Court overturned him 8-0 in the McDonnell case.”
“As President Trump has said over and over again, this prosecution is completely politically motivated,” the statement added. “It is an unprecedented attack against Crooked Joe Biden’s Political Opponent–Banana Republic style! There is absolutely no reason to rush this Witch Hunt to trial, except to injure President Trump and his 150 million, at least, supporters. President Trump will continue to fight for Justice and oppose these authoritarian tactics.”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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