Whitaker Tells Newsmax: Federal Government Does Not Have Right to Speedy Trial

December 14, 2023 TruthUSA

Matthew Whitaker, a former acting U.S. attorney general, told Newsmax Thursday that special counsel Jack Smith’s attempt to expedite his trial against former President Donald Trump by appealing directly to the Supreme Court is a “purely political move” in an attempt to interfere with the 2024 election.

After all, Whitaker told “Greg Kelly Reports,” the constitutional right to a speedy trial belongs to the defendant, not the federal government.

Whitaker was reacting to Smith’s appeal to the Supreme Court earlier this week to quickly rule on whether Trump has immunity from charges while a sitting president, circumventing the District of Columbia Circuit Court in the process.

Trump’s legal team had already filed an appeal to challenge the lower court’s decision that Smith’s trial could move forward, and Smith petitioned the Supreme Court in an end-around.

“I think it’s interesting. One of the things I would point out about this case and Jack Smith’s unprecedented, really, appeal directly to the Supreme Court — trying to skip the circuit court in D.C. — is that the federal government doesn’t have a speedy trial right,” Whitaker said. “That is a constitutional right that is given to defendants.

“And for him to suggest that somehow, you know, his case deserves an expedited trial schedule and then an expedited appeal schedule of bypassing the appeals court, I think is really an aggressive and purely political move to try to interfere in the election,” Whitaker said.

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