Former President Donald Trump’s attorney suggested Friday that his client becoming the Republican presidential nominee while on trial in Georgia would count as “election interference.” Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee considered requests to delay pretrial deadlines and trial timing requests, while District Attorney Fani Willis last month pushed for the trial to begin Aug. 5. Trump and 14 others face indictments for participating in a scheme to overturn the 2020 election results. However, the timing remains uncertain as the judge has not yet decided on setting a trial date. Trump’s attorney argues that his client would face multiple criminal trials next year and should not have a trial date set right now. One thing is clear, Trump remains the early front-runner for the Republican nomination for president.
Meanwhile, prosecutor Nathan Wade rejected the notion that trying Trump would interfere with the election. Four defendants have pleaded guilty, and the remaining 15, including Trump, have pleaded not guilty. It is clear that the trial would coincide with the election campaign, although Trump’s attorney claimed his client’s ascent to the presidency would preclude him from standing trial until after he is out of office. However, the request to delay the trial date, set plea deal parameters, and concerns about the case’s potential duration and start date show that the trial’s timing remains a significant issue for all parties involved. McAfee has expressed skepticism about trying more than a dozen defendants at once and is considering splitting the defendants into two groups. Lastly, the court considered pretrial motions, including motions to move the trial to federal court, and arguments challenging the indictment itself, raising questions about the protection of political speech under the First Amendment.
