On Friday evening, Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith filed paperwork that would delay the upcoming trial of former president Donald Trump from August to December.
The Washington Post reports:
Federal prosecutors said in its Friday court filing that they have asked to delay Cannon’s proposed timetable by about four months — with jury selection beginning Dec. 11 — because Trump’s lawyers will need up to two months to obtain the security clearance required to view some of the classified documents. The government alleged in its indictment against Trump that the former president improperly retained 31 classified documents at his Florida residence, some of which include information about foreign countries’ nuclear and military capabilities.
A delay in the trial date would seem to be good news for Trump and his defense team, but it could wind up spoiling his chances of winning the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, because it would take place right as GOP primaries in key states are beginning.
According to Newsweek, “If the request is approved, Trump’s trial will begin just two months before the GOP primary season, when Republican voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina head to the polls.”
Most of the Republican primaries are scheduled for March, which means a December start for the case could stretch far beyond that date, with Trump having to appear in court for his trial instead of being in the campaign trail, which would leave him vulnerable to attacks on him by other GOP contenders.
And that’s not the only bad news for Trump when it comes to the classified documents case.
If Trump is found guilty on any of the charges, it could be a major boost to his Republican opponents and provide them exactly the cudgel they need to bludgeon the failed ex-president by painting him has unable to win against President Joe Biden with the stigma of a criminal conviction on his record.
A conviction and prison sentence would also make voters wonder how Trump is supposed to be leader of the country while incarcerated. Would his vice president pardon him and then hand back power? Is such a move even legal under the Constutition?
Whatever happens in the months ahead, it seems safe to bet that the chances of Donald Trump being president again are fading by the day.
