Attorneys for Donald Trump have asked U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon for an indefinite delay in the former president’s classified documents case.
In a 7-page motion on Wednesday, Trump blamed special counsel Jack Smith while asking to delay a Feb. 22 deadline for pretrial motions.
“The current posture of this case has resulted from (1) misrepresentations to the Court this summer by the Special Counsel’s Office concerning the timing and scope of pretrial discovery; and (2) the Office’s failure to take steps to timely establish adequate secure facilities for review of classified discovery, CIPA litigation, and classified motions to compel,” the motion said.
Trump’s attorneys said they needed additional time to review documents obtained during discovery.
“In contrast, the approach demanded by the Special Counsel’s Office would in effect require two rounds of briefing on the same motions,” the document said. “The Defendants’ request is further supported by the recent untimely productions from the Special Counsel’s Office, which serve as an independent basis for allowing the defense more time to prepare the Evidentiary Motions.”
Smith’s office was also accused of refusing to turn over discovery documents “for as long as possible.”
And the defense attorneys insisted that the current trial date was not firm.
“Finally, contrary to the suggestion of the Special Counsel’s Office, the current motion does not address the trial date… and the Court’s scheduling order does not suggest that the current trial date is firm,” the motion concluded. “Accordingly, the Defendants respectfully request that the Court modify the scheduling order, to the extent necessary, to permit the filing of the Evidentiary Motions within one month of the Court’s resolution of the pending motions to compel.”
Cannon, a Trump-appointed judge, reprimanded Smith last year after he warned her that the former president may try to delay his trial.
