Donald Trump fights to postpone post-election confidential documents trial | US News

Former President Donald Trump is seeking to delay his criminal case in the case of confidential documents until after the 2024 election.

Trump’s attorneys on Monday night asked a federal judge to indefinitely postpone the trial in the name of “American democracy.”

They argued in the filing that the trial, which is scheduled to begin December 11, should not begin until there is sufficient time “for a careful and full review of the proceedings that led to these indictments.”

“This extraordinary case presents a serious challenge to both reality and the perception of our American democracy,” Trump’s attorneys wrote.

“The court is now presiding over a case instituted by the administration of an incumbent president against his main political rival, himself a front runner for the presidency of the United States.”

Trump’s attorneys filed the filing a half-hour before Tuesday’s midnight deadline.

Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the case and was appointed by Trump during his tenure as president, is facing a decision on whether to grant the motion.

If Cannon decides to delay the process, it could begin after the 2024 presidential election or at the end of the campaign season.

“There is no question that a trial of this lawsuit during the upcoming presidential election will affect both the outcome of that election and, more importantly, the ability of the defendants to receive a fair trial,” Trump’s attorneys wrote.

Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 counts in mid-June relating to alleged mishandling of classified documents he took from the White House to his Mar-a-Lago residence. His trusted valet, Walt Nauta, pleaded not guilty to six counts last week of allegedly helping Trump hide classified documents.

On Tuesday, Trump suffered a setback in another legal battle. The Justice Department, in a reversal, said it no longer believes Trump should enjoy immunity for derogatory statements he made about his sex-assault accuser E. Jean Carroll during his tenure in 2019.

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