Trump should be barred from blaming others for Jan. 6 riot at trial: Special counsel
ABC News
Trump shouldn't be allowed to make "irrelevant" claims targeting others during his federal election interference trial, the special counsel argued in a filing Wednesday.
Donald Trump shouldn't be allowed to make "irrelevant" claims targeting President Joe Biden or say others are to blame for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot during his federal election interference trial, special counsel Jack Smith wrote in a court filing Wednesday.
"Through public statements, filings and argument in hearings before the court, the defense has attempted to inject into this case partisan political attacks and irrelevant and prejudicial issues that have no place in a jury trial," the filing states.
"Although the court can recognize these efforts for what they are and disregard them, the jury -- if subjected to them -- may not," it continues. "The court should not permit the defendant to turn the courtroom into a forum in which he propagates irrelevant disinformation, and should reject his attempt to inject politics into this proceeding."
The special counsel argues that Trump has suggested "he intends to impeach the integrity of the investigation by raising wholly false claims such as the government's nonexistent 'coordination with the Biden administration' and other empty allegations recycled from the selective and vindictive prosecution motion that he based on anonymous sources in newspaper articles."
