By Andrew Goudsward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A legal representative for Donald Trump argued on Friday that if the former U.S. president wins the election next year, he should not stand trial on charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.
The lawyer, Steven Sadow, made these comments as the judge overseeing the case grappled with the dilemma of setting a trial date, considering Trump’s other legal issues and the upcoming 2024 campaign. Trump is currently the leading contender for the Republican nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in the next election.
Sadow stated that if Trump wins the election, he would move to postpone the trial until after he leaves office, citing potential interference with his presidential duties.
Given that Trump is facing four simultaneous state and federal criminal prosecutions, he has consistently attempted to delay the cases against him until after the November 5, 2024 election. Sadow’s remarks indicated how Trump could utilize his campaign and a potential second term in office to delay these cases, even in state courts where he would not be able to pardon himself or have authority over the prosecutions.
Last week, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis requested that the Georgia trial commence in August 2024, a timeline that could extend the proceedings through Election Day and into early 2025.
“What would be the state’s response that having this trial on Election Day is election interference?” Judge Scott McAfee asked prosecutors, to which prosecutor Nathan Wade responded, “The district attorney has made it clear that she has no interest in interfering or getting involved with this presidential election. Her sole focus is to move this case forward.”
Trump has expressed objections to the proposed August trial, with Sadow remarking during the hearing, “Can you imagine that notion of the Republican nominee for president not being able to campaign for the presidency because he is in some form or fashion in a courtroom defending himself?”
Trump and 14 co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to racketeering and other charges in relation to an alleged coordinated scheme to reverse Trump’s narrow defeat in Georgia following the 2020 election. Four of the original 19 defendants have pleaded guilty to lesser charges in return for cooperating with the prosecution.
McAfee did not set a trial date on Friday but expressed skepticism that all 15 remaining defendants could be tried together.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan Oatis)
