Former U.S. President Donald Trump is making waves once again by filing a legal motion in support of media requests for live television coverage of his upcoming federal trial. Trump is facing charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
In a bold move, Trump accused prosecutors of wanting to keep the trial “in darkness” as part of what he deems a politically motivated effort by President Joe Biden‘s administration to undermine his re-election bid next year.
With Trump currently leading the field of Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential nomination, the stakes are high. Meanwhile, Biden is expected to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination for a second term.
Trump is no stranger to legal battles, as he is currently facing four criminal proceedings, including a federal court trial scheduled for March. The charges against him include attempting to defraud the federal government and obstructing Congress by spreading false claims of election fraud.
His baseless claims of election rigging sparked the infamous storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, by his supporters in a failed attempt to block congressional certification of his defeat by Biden.
His legal team, led by John Lauro and Todd Blanche, has put forth a compelling argument in support of live television coverage of the trial. According to the filing, every person in America and beyond should have the opportunity to witness the case firsthand and observe President Trump exonerating himself from what they deem as politically motivated charges.
They accused Special Prosecutor Jack Smith’s team of violating Trump’s constitutional rights and criticized the judge for allowing these attacks, alleging that it puts the interests of his political opposition above his legal protections.
The filing adamantly asserts that the proceedings should be fully televised so that the American public can see that the case is nothing more than a “dreamt-up constitutional charade.”
However, Smith has opposed the media requests, citing a federal court rule that prohibits broadcasts of criminal proceedings, as it could potentially intimidate witnesses and jurors.
(Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Alistair Bell)
