Donald Trump’s legal team has asked Judge Aileen Cannon to grant an extension on the deadlines for the classified documents case involving the former president. They have cited their necessity to concentrate on another ongoing legal matter.
Cannon is currently presiding over the trial of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case, which accuses Trump of mishandling classified documents discovered at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Last year, the Department of Justice brought forth 31 charges against Trump in connection with Smith’s investigation. Trump maintains his innocence and asserts that federal prosecutors are pursuing him for political reasons.
Trump’s attorneys penned a letter to Cannon on Monday, requesting an extension for certain reply submissions before the upcoming hearing on Thursday, March 14. The current deadline for filing these reply submissions is March 14, but they have asked for an extension until March 24.
They outlined several reasons for the request in the letter. One of the reasons mentioned was the need for more time to work on the submissions. They also mentioned the upcoming trial in New York, where Trump is facing allegations of falsifying business documents during his 2016 presidential campaign.
In a recent request, it was stated that President Trump and his legal team are currently getting ready for a trial in New York, New York. This trial is set to commence on March 25, 2024. The request highlights the need to focus on both this case and the ongoing matter, primarily due to the discovery violations and strategic scheduling demands from the Special Counsel’s Office. These actions have resulted in prejudice against President Trump in multiple ways.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is conducting an investigation into hush money payments that were supposedly made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels in 2016. As a result, Donald Trump is now facing trial in New York.
Daniels alleges that she had a romantic involvement with Trump, while the ex-president vehemently denies any such affair. He has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to all charges in the New York case, emphasizing that he did not partake in any misconduct.
The attorneys also highlighted the upcoming hearing, stating that it would require them to travel to Florida and dedicate time to prepare oral arguments. They expressed concern that this would detract from the time they would typically spend on preparing their replies.
According to the filing, the Defendants and their counsel must travel to Fort Pierce before March 14 to attend the hearing. This would take away valuable time that could be used to prepare the other reply submissions.
According to former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, Cannon has not shown much initiative in moving this case forward.
According to the legal expert, there are ongoing disagreements between the parties regarding the disclosure of witness names and the process of discovery. While having to prepare for two trials may not be the most compelling reason for requesting an extension, Judge Cannon has shown a willingness to entertain the defense’s procedural maneuvers aimed at postponing the case. Therefore, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if she ultimately grants their request.
Legal experts have responded to the recent statement made by Trump’s attorneys regarding pending motions from Cannon. According to Trump’s attorneys, these motions are relevant to several pretrial motions for which they are seeking additional time. This has raised eyebrows among legal experts, who are now closely following the developments in this case.
Attorney Bradley P. Moss expressed his belief that it is crucial for Cannon to promptly deliver her rulings on the two primary pending motions and proceed to set a trial date. In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Moss stated, “The 3/14 hearing will play a significant role in resolving some of the other preliminary legal disputes.”
Lawyer Robert DeNault expressed his surprise at the unusual approach taken by Judge Cannon in a recent case. Typically, judges receive one comprehensive brief that contains multiple motions, and they issue orders as necessary. However, in this particular instance, Judge Cannon instructed Trump’s team to file ten distinct motions, which would result in ten separate replies, potential hearings, and so on. DeNault found this to be quite peculiar, as it deviated from the usual practice.
