President Donald Trump’s lawyers entered a not guilty plea on his behalf in federal court on Thursday in Washington, D.C.
Fox News reported that President Trump had signed an entry of not guilty plea, which was filed on Tuesday.
In addition to signing this plea, President Trump had always waived his right to present at the arraignment and left his lawyers to stand in for him. CNBC reported that special counsel Jack Smith and his team had no problem with President Trump not appearing at the hearing for the revised indictment.
In the submitted document signed by Trump, it said, “I authorize my attorneys to enter a plea of not guilty on my behalf to each and every count of the superseding indictment, Doc. 226.”
The document also included, “I further state that I have received a copy of the superseding indictment and reviewed it with my counsel.”
Thursday’s hearing is the first one since the U.S. Supreme Court granted broad immunity to former presidents in July. According to CNBC, this “presumptive immunity” granted by the court shut down many parts of Smith’s case but has not killed the charges completely.
Fox News reported that Smith’s new sham indictment keeps the prior criminal charges that Trump had supposedly tried to overturn the election results in 2020.
The revised indictment now leaves out allegations that involve Department of Justice officials. Smith now alleges that President Trump had tried to enlist fake electors in states where Joe Biden had one.
Thursday’s hearing saw President Trump’s lawyers battle it out with U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine how the case will be carried out and how the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling will be carried out.
The Hill reported that Smith’s team had requested to defend first but President Trump’s attorney John Lauro, told the judge that “it’s enormously prejudicial” to let prosecutors go first. At the current rate, it is unlikely for the trial to take place before the November elections.
