Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday made it clear that she would not entertain complaints from Donald Trump’s legal team about the timing of legal proceedings potentially affecting the 2024 presidential election. Trump attorney John Lauro voiced concerns during the hearing that prosecutors’ plans to file a brief on Trump’s potential immunity from criminal prosecution could lead to the release of damaging information at a politically sensitive moment.
As reported by legal journalist Adam Klasfeld, Lauro argued that the brief, which is due to be filed within three weeks, could “put damaging information about Trump into the public record at a very sensitive time in our nation’s history, which we can’t ignore.”
However, Judge Chutkan dismissed these concerns, stating, “I understand that there’s an election impending,” before firmly adding, “This court is not concerned about the election schedule.” She emphasized that the court’s primary focus was on the legal process, not the political calendar.
Despite Lauro’s attempts to underscore the political implications of the timing, he received little sympathy from Chutkan. He further expressed discomfort with what he called a “rush to judgment” in the case. But Judge Chutkan reminded Lauro that the case had already been pending for a significant amount of time.
“This case has been pending for more than a year,” she pointed out. “We’re hardly sprinting to the finish line.” Chutkan’s response underscores the court’s commitment to moving forward with the case, regardless of the upcoming presidential election. Trump’s legal team has continually tried to frame the case in a political context, but the judge’s remarks signal a clear rejection of efforts to further delay the legal process due to electoral concerns.