Trump wants to delay his trial. Jack Smith's Supreme Court gamble could him.
MSNBCDec 12, 2023
Special Counsel Jack Smith has asked the US Supreme Court to review whether former Pres. Donald Trump can be prosecuted for crimes allegedly committed during his tenure in public office.
On Monday, Smith filed a six-page "writ of certiorari before judgment" petition to the country's top court, requesting an "expedited" review of a lower court's ruling. The special counsel continued that the motion contained an "issue of exceptional national importance."
The request attempts to keep the American legal system's schedule on track by bypassing the appellate process being used by Trump to delay his legal reckoning. Although an unusual procedure, there is precedent in Nixon's criminal trial. With creativity, Smith has undermined Trump's attempts to grind the American judicial system to a halt.
Smith's attempt to rush a decision exposes a desire to bury the former president by the Spring of next year. With Super Tuesday set to occur a day after the start of Trump's March trial, it's no coincidence that the legal queries are being fast-tracked to undermine Trump's political campaign.
There's a 56% chance of Trump being jailed or incarcerated before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.