In a recent development, attorneys representing former President Donald Trump have submitted a motion, described by his campaign as a "powerhouse," urging a federal judge to hold Special Counsel Jack Smith in contempt of court.
The motion alleges that Smith has consistently violated a stay order in his investigation into the 2020 election.
The case against Trump, who is currently the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 election, is temporarily on hold as his legal team appeals the case. They argue that presidential immunity shields him from prosecution. The trial was initially scheduled to commence on March 4.
"The Stay Order is clear, straightforward, and unambiguous," Trump's attorney, John Lauro, stated in the filing on Thursday. "All substantive proceedings in this Court are halted. Despite this clarity, the prosecutors began violating the Stay almost immediately."
Lauro claimed that within the first five days of the court suspending proceedings, Smith's team "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," he added.
Lauro also accused Smith of filing an "expansive motion in limine less than 10 days later," which he claimed "teems with partisan rhetoric, including false claims that President Trump propagates irrelevant disinformation both within the courtroom and outside of it."
This motion, according to Lauro, "mirrors the Biden administrations dishonest talking points, asserting, again falsely, that President Trump was responsible for the events of January 6, 2021, when in truth he called for peaceful and patriotic assembly and protest."
Lauro further argued that "the prosecutors seek to weaponize the Stay to spread political propaganda, knowing that President Trump would not fully respond because the Court relieved him of the burdens of litigation during the Stay." He added, "Worse, the prosecutors have announced their intention to continue this partisan-driven misconduct indefinitely, effectively converting this Courts docket into an arm of the Biden campaign."
Lauro called for Smith and federal prosecutors to be held in contempt of court, to "immediately" withdraw their motion in liming and "improper" productions, and to be prohibited from submitting further filings during the stay. He also suggested that they should assess "monetary sanctions in the amount of President Trumps reasonable attorneys fees and expenses incurred in responding to the prosecutors improper productions and filings."
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, told Fox News Digital that Trump has "filed a powerhouse motion to hold Crooked Joe Bidens henchman, Deranged Jack Smith, in contempt of Court for repeatedly violating the stay order in the Washington DC J6 Witch Hunt."
Cheung explained that, "as a result, President Trump is seeking to hold Deranged Jack in contempt of Court."
"No prosecutor is above the law," Cheung stated.
In August, Trump pleaded not guilty in federal court to all four federal charges stemming from Smith's investigation into 2020 election interference and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Smith filed an argument disputing Trump's claim to presidential immunity in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently rejected Smith's appeal to expedite their assessment of the immunity claim before it went fully through a federal appeals court. Trump's legal team asked the court to deny Smith's request.
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