Trump Trial Update: Chaos Erupts in Jack Smith Trial Courtroom

President Donald Trump’s classified documents case set off fireworks as lawyers on both sides started yelling at each other in the Florida courtroom. Also, Judge Aileen Canon is worried that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case might be too complicated for jurors. The made-for-TV spectacle continues in the never-ending lawfare against President Trump.

CNN reports on yesterday’s explosive scene:

During a marathon day of proceedings in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, a morning hearing in front of Judge Aileen Cannon devolved into a shouting match amongst the attorneys, and the afternoon series of arguments prompted the judge to wonder if the legal nuances of the case may be too difficult for jurors to understand.

The heated arguments played out in a morning proceeding in Fort Pierce, Florida, that had been scheduled for Walt Nauta, one of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants, to present arguments that special counsel Jack Smith’s team had selectively and vindictively brought charges against him.

As you likely remember, Jack Smith’s trial date against Trump is on indefinite hold because of “the myriad and interconnected pretrial . . . issues,” as Judge Canon described it. The judge paused the trial after reports came out that Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-4) had launched an investigation after Smith’s team had admitted to tampering with Trump’s classified documents.

Before the trial can resume, several motions must be filed. So the hearing that took place yesterday was the first step in resolving these issues – and it became an epic screaming match.

Much of the shouting yesterday revolved around whether or not Smith’s legal team had tried to bribe a lawyer by offering him a future judgeship. If true, in return, the lawyer was to pressure Walt Nauta, a former employee at Mar-a-Lago, into cooperating with Smith’s legal team. In other words, it was an obvious example of witness tampering.

The prosecutor slammed his fist on the lectern, yelling that the claim was a “fantasy” and that the defendant had made a “garbage argument.” Eventually, the judge was forced to tell the prosecutor to “calm down.”

And to top it off, the judge expressed concern that everyday citizens on a jury will be unable to understand the nuances and legal arguments of the case. She told the prosecutor that “real people have to decide these issues.”

With outbursts like yesterday and the admission that the case might be too complicated for a jury to understand, it’s hard to determine when the trial will resume. More than likely, it will be late summer – or it could even be after the 2024 presidential election. We will keep you updated.

I have a new ACLJ case to tell you about involving a blatant attack on religious liberty. A Los Angeles area government policy has unconstitutionally banned citizens from renting a city-owned facility for “religious worship.”

After a Manhattan Beach resident was denied the ability to rent a city-owned space for a religious gathering (to sing worship songs and listen to a sermon on television), the ACLJ took action. We sent a legal demand letter to the city that explains how the First Amendment limits the government’s ability to censor free speech and religious expression.

As the Supreme Court has said, “[P]rivate religious speech, far from being a First Amendment orphan, is as fully protected under the Free Speech Clause as secular private expression.” The government cannot suppress speech solely because it is religious.

The city has a short window to respond to our demand letter. If the city does not allow our client to rent the space for a worship gathering, then we will take the city to federal court. Stay tuned for further developments.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included a full analysis of yesterday’s chaotic scene in the Florida courtroom. Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard also discussed President Biden’s failure to secure the southern border.

Watch the full broadcast below: