Prosecutors overseeing the indictment of former President Donald J. Trump on felony charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election argue their request for a trial on Jan. 2, 2024, would “vindicate the public’s strong interest in a speedy trial.”
In a document submitted this week, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team told the court: “The Government’s proposed trial date represents an appropriate balance of the defendant’s right to prepare a defense and the public’s strong interest in a speedy trial in the case.”
In an interview on WMUR, Professor John Greabe said Trump’s legal team would be on shaky legal ground if it seeks to delay the trial to avoid disrupting the former president’s campaign. (Watch the WMUR interview here.)
"No person is above the law, and right now, yes, he is a candidate for president, and yes, he happens to be the front runner, but Donald Trump is a private citizen who has been indicted duly by a grand jury on some very, very serious criminal charges," Greabe said.
Trump reacted to Smith’s proposed trial date on his Truth Social platform, accusing Smith and his team of election interference. The Iowa Caucus is set for Jan. 15, and the New Hampshire primary will likely occur sometime in January, though N.H. Secretary of State David Scanlan has yet to set the date.
Trump’s legal team is expected to object to the Jan. 2 trial date and to suggest its own timetable for the case next week. If the Jan. 2 date is confirmed, the election fraud case would be the first of three criminal cases Trump now faces. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
