(NewsSpace.com) – Former President Donald Trump is embroiled in several legal battles, both criminal and civil. One of the cases he is facing is a group of civil suits brought by lawmakers and law enforcement looking to hold him accountable for the events of January 6, 2021, claiming he’s responsible for inciting the mob that crowded the US Capitol. Trump’s legal team, however, is looking to put those cases on hold—for now.
On Tuesday, March 19, the former president’s legal team asked Judge Amit Mehta to delay the proceedings until Trump’s criminal case in the matter is over. Should the cases proceed as-is on the current timeline, it could potentially reveal his defense strategy. Doing so, his lawyers argued, “would prejudice [former] President Trump’s ability to effectively defend himself in both” cases.
Trump has previously sought to claim immunity as his actions were made in an official capacity while he was president. That matter is currently tied up in court. In December, an appeals court ruled that the cases would be able to move forward. In doing so, it left the matter up to Judge Mehta to determine whether the former president’s January 6 speech was official in capacity or a lead-up to a re-election campaign.
The other problem the attorneys face is that the fact-finding process has yet to start and the attorneys argue that information provided in the civil cases could be used against him in the criminal case. Judge Mehta now has to make the decision as to whether to pause the lawsuits or to allow them to proceed.
If Judge Mehta does agree to pause the cases, it could be a long time before the matter goes again before the courts. Especially since the criminal case is also on hold. The Supreme Court is hearing arguments on whether or not Trump can claim presidential immunity on April 25.
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