Trump's attorney vows to use subpoena powers to 're-litigate' 2020 election
This week, former President Donald Trump was hit with additional federal charges by Special Counsel Jack Smith, adding to his growing mountain of legal battles in the middle of his 2024 election campaign.
According to Breitbart, John Lauro, Trump's lead attorney on the federal charges related to the 2020 election-related indictment, revealed during a Fox News interview this week that the Justice Department's latest move will give Trump's legal team a chance to "re-litigate" the 2020 election, which he insisted that the public doesn't want.
Lauro, in an interview on Fox News Channel’s Special Report, noted that the new charges will now give Trump's lawyers subpoena power with regard to the events that unfolded -- power they didn't have in 2020, adding that his legal team then only had a few weeks to gather evidence and present their cases.
"The one thing I will say though, in 2020, Mr. Trump’s campaign had a few weeks to gear up and present evidence, and it was very difficult. We now have the ability in this case to issue our own subpoenas and we will re-litigate every single issue in the 2020 election in the context of this litigation," Lauro said.
He added, "It gives President Trump an opportunity that he has never had before, which is to have subpoena power since January 6 in a way that can be exercised in federal court."
John Lauro (Trump Lawyer):
"We now have the ability in this case to issue our own subpoenas. And we will relitigate every single issue in the 2020 Election. It gives President Trump an opportunity that he has never had before, which is to have subpoena power." pic.twitter.com/XKiNwNGPlk— AɯƙɯαɾԃMαɱα™® (@Aspiemama_107) August 2, 2023
Like Trump and his supporters, Lauro is convinced that President Joe Biden's Justice Department is pursuing the charges in an effort to hamstring his chances in the 2024 presidential election, as Trump is easily Biden's most formidable Republican opponent.
"The way that they’re trying to take out Donald Trump is through the legal process. So, he’s being forced to spend money on legal defense, which should be spent on the discussion of critical ideas and critical issues," Lauro said.
Trump's attorney added, "People want to hear the issues. They don’t want to re-litigate 2020, and that’s exactly what the special counsel — I should say Merrick Garland, Merrick Garland and the Biden administration had to sign off on this indictment, and what they’ve really done is invited now a relitigation of 2020, but this time, in a criminal court, which is unprecedented. No sitting president has ever been criminally charged for his views, for taking a position."
The former president's supporters reacted positively to Lauro's statement, dialing in on the chance that new evidence could emerge regarding the outcome of the 2020 election.
"There is a silver lining to this indictment. It's going to turn out to be a huge mistake for the regime. Get your popcorn ready," one Twitter user wrote, in part.
I will gladly donate to the Trump campaign for his legal expenses both to fight back against deep state persecution and because this presents a perfect opportunity to relitigate the 2020 election, as John Lauro stated. Jack Smith just opened the door for Trump to subpoena… https://t.co/JIvIPpzqzM
— Mark Mendlovitz (@MendlovitzMark) August 2, 2023
According to the Associated Press, Trump was "indicted on felony charges Tuesday for working to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the run-up to the violent riot by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol."
Only time will tell what becomes of the latest charges, but so far, Trump has skated through similar circumstances with growing support and massive fundraising hauls.