The Supreme Court isn’t helping Smith and Chutkan put Trump on trial in early March
Yesterday, the Supreme Court rejected special counsel Jack Smith s request to bypass the D.C. Circuit and decide Donald Trump s claim that he is immune from prosecution for crimes he allegedly committed while he was president. The Court disposed of Smith s emergency request without explanation in a one sentence statement. There were no dissents.
No explanation was required. There is no sound justification for bypassing the D.C. Circuit, which has scheduled oral argument in the matter for January 9.
It s true that adhering to the normal, orderly procedure in this appeal might well delay, perhaps significantly, Trump s trial in D.C. which is now set to begin on March 4. But that should not be the Supreme Court s concern, particularly given that Trump has not tried to exercise his right to a speedy trial.
If Smith is so wedded to trying this case sooner rather than later, maybe he should have brought the case, which is based on events that happened nearly four years ago, sooner rather than later.