On Thursday, President Trump’s attorneys asked the court to hold deranged Jack Smith in contempt of court for violating Judge Chutkan’s order staying all proceedings in the January 6 until the issue of Presidential immunity is decided.
On December 13th, 2023, Obama-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a stay in the federal government’s January 6 case against President Trump. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Smith’s plea for an accelerated examination of the president’s immunity from prosecution, returning the matter to the District of Columbia Circuit Court for further review.
Smith’s prosecutors submitted over 4,000 pages of discovery and exhibits between December 17th and 18th, which Trump’s legal team argued was an attempt to politically harm him before the GOP presidential primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire.
“President Donald J. Trump respectfully moves this Court for an order to show cause why prosecutors Jack Smith, Molly Gaston, and Thomas Windom (collectively, the “prosecutors”) should not be held in contempt for violating the Court’s order “stay[ing] any further proceedings that would move this case towards trial or impose additional burdens of litigation on Defendant.” Doc. 186 at 2 (the “Stay Order”).” Trump’s lawyer wrote.
“The Stay Order is clear, straightforward, and unambiguous. All substantive proceedings in this Court are halted. Despite this clarity, the prosecutors began violating the Stay almost immediately. First, within five days of the Court entering the Stay Order, the prosecutors served thousands of pages of additional discovery, together with a purported draft exhibit list. Through counsel, President Trump advised that he rejected the prosecutors’ unlawful productions, that their actions violated the Stay Order, and that he would seek relief if their malicious conduct continued.” Trump’s lawyer added.
NEW: Trump’s lawyers ask Judge Chutkan to consider contempt of court charge against Special Counsel Jack Smith for defying stay order on Jan 6 trial. Smith continues to file motions while case is on hold awaiting immunity ruling: pic.twitter.com/FTwS8rHESz
— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) January 4, 2024
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung released the following statement:
Axios highlighted the key elements Trump’s attorneys motion:
Trump’s lawyers asked Chutkan to release an order showing why prosecutors should not be held in contempt or ordered to withdraw the filings they have submitted.
Trump’s lawyers also asked Chutkan to explain why prosecutors should not be barred from submitting future filings.
Trump’s legal team is not only seeking the contempt charge but also insisted on “monetary sanctions in the amount of President Trump’s reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred in responding to the prosecutors’ improper productions.”
Take a look:
