Former President Donald Trump was found guilty last week of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in his New York hush money trial. However, a delay in one of his three remaining criminal cases means Trump is unlikely to stand trial again before the November presidential election.
Trump on Trial
Big questions that remain after Trump’s guilty verdict
10:53 AM, May 31, 2024
Georgia election interference case
An appeals court has scheduled a hearing for October on Trump’s attempt to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from his election interference case in Georgia. Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled in March that Willis can remain on the case, but she had to sever ties with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, with whom she had a romantic relationship. Wade was hired to oversee the investigation into Trump and 18 others’ alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
The appeals court is not expected to rule on the matter until at least next spring. Regardless of the ruling, the matter could be appealed again to the Georgia Supreme Court.
Presidential immunity case
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering Trump’s claim of presidential immunity in his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots in Washington, D.C.
Trump’s lawyers argue that the allegations of attempting to prevent President Joe Biden from taking office in 2021 were actions taken while he was still president and are protected by absolute immunity from criminal prosecution. The trial in this case was set to begin on March 4, but Judge Tanya Chutkan decided to delay the case pending the immunity claim decision.
The case is now paused until the Supreme Court issues a ruling, and the timeline for the ruling is uncertain.
Supreme Court
Supreme Court grills attorneys on Trump’s presidential immunity claim
8:49 AM, Apr 25, 2024
Classified documents case
Extensive pretrial motions have indefinitely delayed Trump’s trial for allegedly retaining classified material after leaving the White House. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon postponed the trial start date last month, just before it was set to commence on May 20.
Judge Cannon, appointed by Trump, set the May date as a compromise between the prosecution’s request for a December trial date and the defense’s desire to delay until after the 2024 presidential election.
In a filing, Judge Cannon stated: “Finalizing a trial date at this point – before resolving the various pending pre-trial and CIPA issues along with additional preparations necessary to present the case to a jury – would be imprudent and not in line with the Court’s duty.”
Cannon has not yet set a new date for the trial.
