According to a recently published ruling, a federal judge has denied former President Donald Trump’s attempt to halt numerous civil lawsuits that have been filed against him. These lawsuits aim to hold him responsible for his actions leading up to the January 6th riot.
President Trump requested that D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta postpone the lawsuits filed by members of Congress and police officers who defended the Capitol on January 6th, until his federal criminal case, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, was resolved.
Trump’s legal team argued that if he were to defend himself against the lawsuits, it could have an adverse effect on his defense strategy in his criminal case. However, Judge Mehta rejected this reasoning in his ruling on Thursday afternoon.
According to Mehta, it is true that both cases revolve around the actions of the former President leading up to and on January 6, 2021. However, Trump is exaggerating the importance of this factual overlap in the current state of these matters.
Trump’s team also mentioned the Supreme Court’s upcoming arguments about his claim of immunity from prosecution in his criminal case. They believe that the outcome of these arguments could influence Judge Mehta’s decision on Trump’s immunity claims for the “official acts” mentioned in the civil lawsuits.
Mehta responded that there is no need to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision. He stated that the court is unlikely to make a determination on immunity before the end of its term. Therefore, if the court’s ruling on criminal immunity is relevant to the outcome of this case, it can be readily applied.
Former President Trump is currently facing four felony charges, which include conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction. These charges were brought against him by Smith in an indictment last year. According to prosecutors, the indictment outlines Trump’s alleged plot to stay in power even after losing the election to President Joe Biden. Trump, however, has pleaded not guilty and vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
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