Washington DC Judge Vacate Subversion Case Against Donald Trump

Lawyers for President-elect Donald Trump entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf in a Washington, D.C., court concerning a revised indictment in a federal election subversion case.

The plea comes as a federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Friday, vacated the trial schedule, following a post-election request from special counsel Jack Smith’s office.

The revised indictment follows a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling this past summer, which clarified the conditions under which former presidents can face criminal prosecution.

The ruling asserted that former presidents enjoy absolute immunity for their core constitutional duties and are presumptively immune from prosecution for other official acts.

Trump originally faced four charges linked to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, based on baseless claims of voter fraud. His persistent denials of the election outcome culminated in the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Special counsel Smith’s team revised the indictment last week, removing allegations related to Trump’s use of the Justice Department’s law enforcement powers to remain in office—conduct for which the Supreme Court ruled Trump holds immunity.

The federal case had been essentially on hold, with its last hearing in December 2023, while the Supreme Court deliberated on the immunity issue.

Trump, who has labelled each of the three outstanding criminal cases against him as “election interference,” is the Republican presidential nominee for the November 5 election.

It is noteworthy that all investigations leading to these indictments commenced prior to Trump’s campaign announcement in late 2022.