Prosecutors in the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith on Thursday requested a January 2, 2024 trial date in the case into alleged criminal wrongdoing by former President Trump surrounding the 2020 election.
The prosecution’s request was filed with U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, and is in line with Smith’s vow to seek a speedy trial in the case after indicting Trump on four criminal counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights.
Prosecutors in their filing note that a speedy trial is not only dictated by the Constitution, it is “of particular significance here, where the defendant, a former president, is charged with conspiring to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election, obstruct the certification of the election results, and discount citizens’ legitimate votes.”
The proposed date is less than two weeks before the first votes are set to be cast in the 2024 Republican presidential primary; the Iowa caucuses are scheduled for January 15.
Trump’s lawyers have not submitted their proposed trial date. The Judge Chutkan is expected to set the date during a court hearing scheduled for August 28.
