Former President Donald Trump is advocating for his federal election interference trial in Washington to be televised, aligning himself with media outlets that argue the American public should have the opportunity to watch the historic case unfold. However, the Justice Department is opposing the move, citing federal court rules that prohibit televised proceedings.
Numerous news organizations, including the Associated Press, have contended that there has never been a federal case that warrants an exception to the rule against televised proceedings more than a former president standing trial for allegations of attempting to undermine the will of voters in an election.
In court papers filed on Friday, Trump’s lawyers, who claim that the case against him is politically motivated, emphasized that “every person in America, and beyond, should have the opportunity to study this case firsthand.” They added that Trump himself insists that the proceedings be fully televised so that the American public can witness that the case is nothing more than an unconstitutional charade.
Trump was indicted on felony charges in August for his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, leading up to the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. He is currently the leading candidate for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2024.
The request for a televised trial comes as the federal election case in Washington poses the most significant and direct legal threat to Trump’s political future. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has shown a firm determination to keep the trial date on schedule.
Meanwhile, in a separate case involving classified documents, the federal judge has pushed back multiple deadlines, making it highly unlikely for that case to proceed to trial as planned in May. Trump is facing numerous felony counts under the Espionage Act in that prosecution.
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This article was written by Alanna Durkin Richer from Boston, with contributions from Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker in Washington.
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