Jack Smith Asks Supreme Court to Take Up Trump Case

Former President Trump argues that he is immune from federal prosecution on charges of election interference. Special counsel Jack Smith on Monday asked the Supreme Court to take up the matter quickly and settle it once and for all, reports the Hill. "It is of imperative public importance that respondent's claims of immunity be resolved by this Court and that respondent's trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected," reads Monday's filing made by Smith's team, per the Washington Post.

Last week, Trump filed an appeal of federal Judge Tanya Chutkan's ruling that he is not, in fact, immune in the federal case. (She wrote that being president "does not confer a lifelong 'get-out-of-jail-free' pass.") Smith is worried the matter will take too long to work its way through the appellate system, which could keep the trial from starting in early March as planned. In case the Supreme Court says no, Smith separately asked the federal appeals court in DC to expedite its review of the case. The Supreme Court would likely not be able to consider Smith's request until Jan. 5 at the earliest, which is the date of the justices' next scheduled private conference, per the AP. (More immunity stories.)