Jack Smith: Trump Using NYC Trial to Delay Docs Case

Special counsel Jack Smith claimed in a court filing this week that former President Donald Trump is using his ongoing criminal trial in New York City to delay his upcoming case involving his handling of classified documents in Florida, Newsweek reported.

Smith wrote in a filing on Monday that Trump is “seeking another postponement” to the case, in which the former president is accused of illegally retaining classified documents, adding that "this time, Trump invokes his New York trial" as a reason for delaying his Florida case. Smith said Trump is arguing that his legal team will be too preoccupied with his criminal trial to meet the deadlines set by the judge in the classified documents case.

In the filing, Smith stated that Judge Aileen Cannon set a deadline of May 9 for the defense to submit expert witness disclosures, and noted that the court was “fully apprised of defendant Trump's New York trial” at the time that date was set.

"Although the defendants' motion reads as though the court were unaware of Trump's other case ... those premises are plainly wrong. The defendants have had ample notice that these deadlines would be scheduled and have already had months to complete the work."

Smith also rejected the argument made by Trump’s attorneys that they are too busy preparing for his criminal trial in New York, which concerns alleged hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, to meet the deadlines set in the Florida case.

"Trump elected to engage the same counsel of record in multiple serious criminal matters, and his counsel agreed to the multiple engagements," he wrote. "Having made such decisions, they should not be allowed to use their overlapping engagements to perpetually delay trial in this case."

Smith concluded, "Not to mention, the defendants have capable local counsel who can contribute to the work. The court should reject the defendants' latest delay tactic and maintain the established deadline."

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