2020 US election case: Prosecutors seek Jan 2 trial date for former president Trump

Prosecutors who are with Special Counsel Jack Smith's team are seeking January 2 as the trial date for former United States president Donald Trump in the 2020 Capitol riots case. According to a report by the news agency Associated Press early Friday (August 11), prosecutors said in court papers on Thursday that they want to move the case trial swiftly in Washington's federal court. Special Counsel Smith's team said that the government's case should take no longer than four to six weeks.

“A January 2 trial date would vindicate the public’s strong interest in a speedy trial — an interest guaranteed by the Constitution and federal law in all cases, but 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,” prosecutors said in the court papers.

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The Associated Press report said that if US District Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed with the prosecutors' appeal, the case against Trump, a front-runner for the 2024 election, would open right before the third anniversary of the January 6 Capitol Hill riot. Also, the proposed date (from the prosecutors) is just two weeks before the first votes are set to be cast in the Republican presidential race.

Trump reacts to proposed trial date: 'Only an out-of-touch lunatic...'

Reacting angrily to the proposed trial date, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, "Only an out-of-touch lunatic would ask for such a date, ONE DAY into the New Year, and maximum Election Interference with IOWA!"

Trump's lawyers have not yet submitted their proposed trial date, and the judge is expected to set the date during a court hearing on August 28. The 2020 election case alleges that Trump illegally conspired to overturn his poll loss to President Joe Biden. Last Tuesday (August 1), Trump was indicted for his attempts to overturn the election. He has been charged with conspiring to defraud the US by preventing Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's victory and depriving voters of their right to a fair election.

Days later, the former president sought the recusal of the judge in the case.

Special counsel got search warrant for Trump's Twitter account in Capitol riot probe

A US appeals court opinion on Wednesday stated that Special Counsel Smith obtained a search warrant for Trump's Twitter account in the Capitol riot investigation. The search warrant was obtained in January this year and Twitter, delayed complying. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed the federal judge's decision to hold Twitter in contempt and fine it $350,000.

Trump lashed out at the Department of Justice (DOJ) by saying that it secretly attacked his Twitter account.

(With inputs from agencies)

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