The schedule for the trial of former President Donald Trump’s attempts to stop Congress from obtaining his tax and financial records may be delayed, according to a court filing by U.S. District Judge Trevor N.Cannon.
The judge said the timeline for arguments and filings had been thrown off track due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the parties would need extra time to refile briefs that were recently submitted in the case. He also noted that the parties in the case, which include House Democrats and the Trump administration, had agreed to delay proceedings until April 5th.
The dispute centers around Trump’s attempts to prevent House Democrats from obtaining his financial records in the form of tax and banking records, to which they were legally entitled. Trump argued that the records were exempt from disclosure under executive privilege.
The case is being heard in federal court in Washington, D.C. The Trump administration had argued that, due to the inevitable briefings and filings associated with the case, there would be no sufficient time to prepare for the scheduled April 5th hearing.
The House Democrats, meanwhile, had initially pressed for an expedited timeline, noting that by prolonging the dispute, the Trump administration risked exposing sensitive information.
The House Democrats had earlier won a victory when Judge Cannon rejected the Trump administration’s arguments that the case should be dismissed on jurisdictional grounds. The judge concluded that the dispute was ripe for adjudication.
The April 5th hearing is expected to determine whether the House Democrats’ subpoena of Trump’s financial records is valid and constitutional. The case is seen as a significant constitutional precedent, and the outcome could have far reaching implications for future presidential administrations.
It is unclear at this time if the judge’s request for a delay will be granted, or how the resulting timeline could affect the case. However, it appears that the filing by Judge Cannon has, at least temporarily, stalled the high-profile legal battle between the Trump administration and House Democrats.
