Special counsel Jack Smith suffered a devastating blow in his cases against former President Donald Trump on Monday, this time at the hands of the judge overseeing Trump’s hush money case.
Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan warned President Trump at the start of his trial that he could be placed under arrest if he fails to appear without providing a reason. The order essentially locks the Republican leader into appearing every single day until his first criminal trial is over, a process that could stretch weeks, a month, or even longer depending on the amount of evidence and number of witnesses.
In Trump’s federal classified document case, Florida district Judge Aileen Cannon has already reminded Smith that she will not hold any proceedings that Trump wishes to attend but cannot due to prior commitments. Judge Merchan’s requirement effectively freezes at least one of the former president’s federal cases until the Manhattan case concludes.
“Jack Smith hardest hit,” investigative reporter Julie Kelly wrote on X. “Judge Cannon in FLA already made clear she will not hold any hearings that Trump is unable to attend due to other court obligations. This will push ongoing pretrial proceedings back two months.”
In order words, the conflict stems from so many opponents of President Trump angling to take him down that they are now stepping on top of one another in their various roles. In all likelihood, delays will add up in Trump’s federal J6 case as well as his Georgia case being prosecuted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Trump walked into court in high spirits on Monday, characterizing his appearance as a valiant blockade against the government’s attempts to silence his supporters.
“They will try to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedoms,” Trump said in a pre-court video released on Truth Social. “They will try to silence me because I will never let them silence you. They want you silent, and I’m the only one who can save this nation because you know they’re not coming after me, they’re coming after you.”
Revolver notes that Smith has threatened to bypass the U.S. Supreme Court if justices decide that charges of obstruction against Trump are not warranted.
Supporters of President Trump, including conservative legal scholar Jonathan Turley, have previously spoken about the perforated legal charges he is facing in the Manhattan case as well as those relating to the January 6th, 2021 riots at the Capitol. President Trump himself has insisted that President Joe Biden has “weaponized” the court systems through various Democratic allies including Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Smith, Willis, and others to imprison him before Election Day.
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