A Florida judge weighed the timing of former President
Trump's classified documents case during a hearing on Friday, but did not set a
new trial start date from the bench.
Why it matters: Trump's legal team has repeatedly tried to
delay proceedings concerning his four criminal indictments until after the
election, with the hope that a November win could derail the cases.
Only the New York case involving hush money paid to an adult
film actress — arguably the weakest against him — looks definitively on track
to wrap before the election.
The big picture: Prosecutors and Trump's team have sparred
over the timing of the classified documents case, and on Thursday both parties
filed briefs making their case for their preferred start date.
Special counsel Jack Smith requested July 8.
Trump's team argued that the trial should be postponed until
after the 2024 election, but proposed Aug. 12 as an alternative.
Trump attended the hearing over the timing of the case.
Between the lines: Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee,
had indicated before the Friday hearing that she may allow "reasonable
adjustments" to the current timing of the classified documents case, which
is scheduled to begin May 20.
The 2020 election cases in Georgia and D.C. are currently on
ice.
Trump co-defendants arguing Fulton County DA Fani Willis
should be disqualified over an alleged financial and ethical conflict of
interest, which a judge is expected to rule on soon, carries great potential
impact on the case's future. Willis has denied the allegations.
The Supreme Court separately agreed this week to take up
Trump's immunity claims in the federal 2020 election case, with arguments
slated for late April.
The high court's decision to take up the case, whose trial
was scheduled to begin in early March, will further delay proceedings.
