WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump are raising new challenges to the federal election subversion case against him, telling a judge that the indictment should be dismissed because it violates the former president’s free speech rights and represents a vindictive prosecution.

The motions filed late Monday in the case charging the Republican with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost are on top of a pending argument by defense attorneys that he is immune from federal prosecution for actions taken within his official role as president.

Special counsel Jack Smith’s team urged a judge last week to reject that argument and is expected to do the same for the latest motions. It is routine for defendants to ask a judge to dismiss the charges against them, but such requests are rarely granted. In Trump’s case, though, the challenges to the indictment could at a minimum force a delay in a prosecution that is set for trial in Washington next March.

    • @TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee
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      251 year ago

      I dunno, man. Trump heard it from many people that all he has to do is think, and something becomes constitutional or, in this case, unconstitutional.

      • @RojoSanIchiban@lemmy.world
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        61 year ago

        While that seems to resonate with his cult, it thankfully hasn’t worked at all with any judges in the dozens of times his dipshit lawyers have tried it already.

        (Sorry if that was meant to be more of a joke than I took it for)