A regulation in federal judiciary protocols, specifically Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, prohibits the airing of federal judicial proceedings. However, on the 11th of November, Donald Trump’s legal representatives submitted a document to District Judge Tanya Chutkan, urging her to approve a media coalition’s plea to record and broadcast his forthcoming trial on election interference. Objections have been raised by prosecutors in response to the request made by the former president.
Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team submitted a brief, two-page motion on Sunday, requesting permission from Chutkan to submit a response countering the reply from former President Trump regarding the media group’s application to broadcast his trial.
The document commenced by citing the government’s reply on November 3 to the brief from the news organizations.
Prosecutors clarified their intention to ascertain Trump’s position regarding the media company’s application. The legal team representing the former president requested the government to inform the court that he remained neutral on the matter.
The government contended that a week later, he abruptly changed his stance without providing any explanation for the reversal. Prosecutors asserted that Trump’s legal team, instead of providing a rationale, made inflammatory and unfounded statements regarding the administration of trial procedures related to his case.
The document contended that Trump’s reply lacked any citation of a relevant case or rule to substantiate their position, asserting that such references do not exist.
Additionally, it accused the former president of seeking to transform his trial into a media spectacle and attempting to present his case in the public domain rather than the courtroom.
Continuing their argument, Smith’s team accused Trump of trying to establish a circus-like atmosphere by broadcasting his trials. They asserted that this was a persistent effort on his part to divert attention from the charges filed against him, similar to the tactics employed by many defendants facing fraud allegations.
Similarly, the government anticipated that should Trump succeed, both he and his legal representatives would shape their statements in court to conduct a public relations campaign.
In its final response, the government alerted the court to the potential dangers of witness intimidation in the event that she granted permission for the Trump trial to be televised.
