(PartiallyPolitics.com) – On Thursday, ex-President Trump indicated a potential shift of his Georgia legal proceedings to a federal venue.
“President Trump intends to possibly transfer his trial to a federal court,” stated Steve Sadow, Trump’s lawyer, in official documents.
Though it has been speculated by law professionals that Trump might pursue this avenue, the recent document submission solidifies this intention.
Trump has a few more weeks to formally make this request, following the federal rule that mandates submission within 30 days post-arraignment. Trump entered a plea of not guilty and chose to forgo an in-person arraignment on August 31.
Legal authorities believe that even if the charges are relocated, they won’t be eligible for a presidential pardon. However, this would alter the trajectory of Trump’s legal proceedings.
Should he succeed, a federal judge would preside over Trump’s trial, drawing jurors from a larger region in northern Georgia, which is more politically diverse.
Contrary to the current state judge’s inclination to allow televised coverage, a shift to a federal court might hinder public broadcasting of the trial.
Trump isn’t the only individual connected to this case aiming for such a change.
Several of Trump’s associated defendants have initiated the process of relocating their trials, most notably former White House senior official Mark Meadows and ex-Justice Department representative Jeffrey Clark. Three individuals supporting Trump and accused of endorsing documents claiming to represent Georgia’s official electors are also pursuing this path.
Some legal pundits opine that successful endeavors by any of these defendants could result in an automatic transfer of charges for Trump and others involved.
The co-defendants are pursuing this as a phased strategy. If successful, individuals like Meadows aim to invoke constitutional immunity to get their charges dropped.
The contention about court transitions hinges on three criteria: The accused must establish their status as a federal officer, demonstrate that the accusations pertain to actions made in that capacity, and present a viable federal defense.
The recent filing by Trump follows indications from the state judge of a forthcoming schedule for Trump’s trial. However, the judge has pointed to efforts by co-defendants to change their trial location as a potential reason to reconsider the proposed October trial date for all 19 defendants.
In a prior unrelated case involving allegations of secret payments, Trump attempted a similar court transfer. However, the motion was denied, and he is currently contesting that decision.
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