Trump lawyers seek atypical delay in 2020 election conspiracy case

Former President Donald Trump's attorneys in the election plot case are arguing for excluding the 25 days between August 3 and August 28 from calculations under the Speedy Trial Act, reported POLITICO's Kyle Cheney on Tuesday.

According to Cheney, this is an unusual scenario, as it is usually prosecutors, rather than defendants, who request these types of delays. However, special counsel Jack Smith's team has showed no interest in doing so, arguing that a trial should be held as soon as possible in "the interests of justice."

Trump's team is citing the complexity of the case as a reason to justify a delay. According to Bloomberg News reporter Zoe Tillman, the new motion is "a prelude to arguing the trial shouldn't fall within the normal 70-day window."

Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy against rights, and two counts of witness intimidation.

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The case is his third indictment, after the New York state charges for business fraud brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and Smith's other federal investigation into the concealment of highly classified national defense information at Trump's Mar-a-Lago country club. However, this indictment also marks the first time Trump has been charged for alleged conduct that occurred while he was in office.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case, and has claimed — on potentially dubious legal grounds — that the case is an effort to silence his constitutionally guaranteed speech.