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Smith, who is prosecuting the case, said in a court filing that
Trump and his lawyers would use a televised trial to distract
from the charges and “wage a public relations campaign.”
Prosecutors working with Smith cited Trump’s conduct on the
witness stand last week in a civil fraud case in New York in
which Trump often refused to directly answer questions and made
political arguments, drawing rebukes from the judge.
Trump late on Friday backed an effort by media organizations and
press advocacy groups who have argued that broadcasting an
unprecedented trial of a former U.S. president and frontrunner
for the Republican nomination in 2024 would be in the public
interest. Reuters is part of the media coalition.
In a court filing, Trump’s lawyers suggested that prosecutors
wanted the trial held “in darkness” as part of what Trump claims
is a politically motivated effort by President Joe Biden's
administration to undermine his bid for re-election next year.
Prosecutors have opposed the effort, contending that Trump and
news organizations have not shown why the court should abandon a
longstanding rule barring broadcast of criminal cases in federal
court.
Proceedings so far in the case have not been broadcast, but have
been covered by reporters with limited seating available for the
public in the courthouse.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges that he conspired to
illegally subvert the results of the 2020 election, which he
lost to Biden. The case is one of four simultaneous criminal
prosecutions facing Trump. Trump has pleaded not guilty in the
other cases as well.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Scott Malone and Lisa
Shumaker)
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