Former President Donald Trump stands on the stage during a break in the CNN presidential election debate with President Joe Biden in Atlanta on June 27. Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/UPI |
License PhotoJuly 6 (UPI) — The judge hearing the federal classified documents case against former President Donald Trump on Saturday granted a motion to extend deadlines for filing legal arguments regarding potential presidential immunity.
Aileen Cannon, a U.S. District Court judge for the Southern District of Florida, granted motions by Trump’s legal team to extend the deadlines and set July 21 for filing briefs regarding how presidential immunity might affect the case against the former president and presumptive Republican nominee for the Nov. 5 presidential election.
Cannon granted the motions to the delay after the Supreme Court on Monday ruled 6-3 that Trump has some level of presidential immunity regarding constitutional powers and for official acts taken while in office.
Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith has charged Trump with 40 counts of mishandling classified documents.
Trump’s legal team also has challenged Smith’s standing as special counsel in the matter, saying he was unconstitutionally appointed and funded and the case against the former president should be dismissed.
Justice Clarence Thomas in the Supreme Court’s ruling Monday questioned the legality of Smith serving as special counsel in the case.
Thomas suggested Smith wasn’t “someone duly authorized” by the “American people” to prosecute the classified documents case against Trump.
The Supreme Court’s immunity ruling also raises doubt regarding the legality of the recent convictions on 34 felony counts in the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg that accused Trump of falsifying business records.
The judge in that case, Juan M. Merchan, agreed to postpone Trump’s sentencing hearing for two months while the former president’s attorney prepares a brief arguing why the convictions should be overturned.
