A “coordinated” effort to claim victim status in former President Donald Trump’s federal election interference case has been dismissed just days before the case returns to court, according to records. On Tuesday, Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected eight motions from anonymous parties who sought to file in the Washington D.C. docket under the Crime Victims Relief Act (CVRA).
“They do not establish that they qualify as ‘victim’ under the CVRA’s statutory definition,” Chutkan ruled. “Consequently, the victim’s rights enumerated in the CVRA do not attach…and the court is not persuaded that it is appropriate to depart from the ordinary course and permit this filing.”
The initial filings are not publicly available, making it unclear who is behind what Business Insider legal correspondent Jacob Shamsian described as a “coordinated” effort, or the nature of their claims.
This flurry of filings comes after months of delay in the historic case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith against Trump. In August 2023, Smith accused Trump of conspiring to defraud the U.S. and obstruct official proceedings by inciting a baseless election fraud frenzy leading up to the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and sought presidential immunity from prosecution. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump was protected when he pressured the Justice Department to support his election fraud claims. This ruling led Florida federal court judge Aileen Cannon to dismiss Smith’s classified documents case against Trump, a decision Smith has since appealed.
Over the weekend, Chutkan also rejected a dismissal request from Trump in the election interference case. However, the future of both cases remains uncertain as Trump’s legal team continues to challenge the prosecution while he makes his third bid for the White House. If re-elected, Trump could potentially terminate both cases. Chutkan has scheduled a hearing with both parties on August 16, setting the stage for the next chapter in this high-stakes legal battle.