Ex-President Donald Trump has asked a federal court to dismiss the election interference case against him, arguing his role entitled him to “absolute immunity”.
Mr Trump’s lawyers say his attempts to cast doubt on the 2020 election fell within his duties as president and are not subject to criminal prosecution.
The claims were “at the heart of his official responsibilities”, they argue.
Mr Trump’s attorneys have also asked for the trial, in which the former president is accused of improperly handling sensitive files, to be held after the 2024 presidential election.
It is part of a flurry of legal filings in recent days related to a number of Mr Trump’s ongoing cases.
In a new filing in the election interference case on Thursday, his lawyers argue that Mr Trump’s public statements about the 2020 contest were attempts at “ensuring the integrity of federal elections”. “The acts alleged in the indictment lie firmly within the ‘outer perimeter’ of the President’s official responsibility,” the lawyers argue. “Therefore, they cannot form the basis of criminal charges against President Trump.”
The former president made a range of allegations about fraud in the 2020 presidential election after his loss, but no evidence has emerged of any widespread fraud that would have altered the result.
In an attempt to delay another case, Mr Trump filed a notice to voluntarily dismiss another lawsuit against his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen – who he was suing for at least $500m (£410m) in damages – on Thursday.
In a statement released to US media, Mr Trump’s campaign claimed that his legal suits and 2024 presidential campaign were using up too much of his time for him to pursue the claim.
(BBC)
