Trump wants special counsel Jack Smith held in contempt for filing motions despite stay
NY Post
Donald Trump’s legal team demanded Thursday that special counsel Jack Smith’s office be held in contempt for allegedly flouting a DC judge’s stay of further proceedings in the 2020 election subversion case against the former president.
In a 15-page motion, attorney John Lauro contended that Smith’s office continued to submit filings to Judge Tanya Chutkan in violation of the pause she ordered while the 77-year-old Trump’s challenge to the case against him makes its way through the courts.
“President Trump has filed a powerhouse motion to hold Crooked Joe Biden’s henchman, Deranged Jack Smith, in contempt of Court for repeatedly violating the stay order in the Washington DC J6 Witch Hunt,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.
“Rather than respect the rule of law, Jack Smith unilaterally decided to disobey the stay order and continue with his harassing litigation,” Cheung went on. “No prosecutor is above the law.”
The motion specifically calls on the court to “show cause” for why prosecutors haven’t been held in contempt or why they shouldn’t face “monetary sanctions.”
Last month, Chutkan ruled that “any further proceedings that would move this case towards trial or impose additional burdens of litigation on defendant” would be halted while the question of whether Trump enjoys immunity from the charges against him is decided.
