US judge puts Trump’s case on hold over the 2020 elections after his victory

A US judge annulled on Friday the pending deadlines in the electoral subversion case of the president-elect Donald Trump in 2020, after federal prosecutors said they were grappling with the “unprecedented circumstance” of his impending return to the White House.

Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington approved a request by special prosecutor Jack Smith, who is handling the criminal case, to set aside the deadlines, according to a court order, while they consider his future.

Prosecutors wrote that the delay was necessary “to allow the government time to evaluate this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course to follow consistent with Department of Justice policy.”

Under a Justice Department policy dating back to the 1970s, a sitting president cannot be subject to criminal prosecution.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters Wednesday that the Justice Department was discussing how to handle the case as Trump prepares to take office again.

Trump pleaded not guilty last year to four criminal charges. who accused him of conspiring to obstruct the certification of votes after his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

The effort by Trump and his allies to reverse Biden’s victory culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol after a fiery speech by the then president near the White House.

In Tuesday’s election, Trump defeated the Democratic vice president Kamala Harrisa victory that will almost certainly end two federal cases against him.

Trump’s lawyers were due to have responded by Nov. 21 to Smith’s argument that the case can move forward following a Supreme Court ruling granting former presidents broad immunity from prosecution for official acts performed while in office. .

Smith said prosecutors would inform the judge by Dec. 2 how they propose moving forward.

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