Trump denies revised 2020 election interference charges in court | US News

Donald Trump has entered a plea of not guilty to revised criminal charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election.

The former president, who is the Republican nominee for this year’s presidential election in November, is facing four charges for using false voter fraud claims to undermine election results and prevent President Joe Biden from being certified as the winner.

These charges are the same as those brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith last year, but some allegations that had to be dropped per the Supreme Court ruling are now excluded from the case.

Trump was not in court in Washington on Thursday, and his lawyers denied the charges on his behalf.

While Smith aims to proceed with the case, Trump argues that it is politically motivated and intended to harm his campaign.

He is requesting a postponement until after the November 5 election, where he will be facing Democrat Kamala Harris, the US vice president.

During the hearing, Trump’s lawyer John Lauro accused the government of rushing to file an “illegitimate” indictment during the height of the presidential campaign.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan stated that she is not concerned with the electoral schedule.

The new indictment, issued in August, was revised following the Supreme Court ruling granting former presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

Trump’s legal team is arguing that the judge should not begin evaluating the impact of the immunity ruling until December, after the election.

If Trump wins the election, it is anticipated that he will instruct the US Justice Department to drop the charges.

During a speech to business leaders in New York on Thursday, Trump mentioned his plan to establish a government efficiency commission to be led by Elon Musk, following a recommendation from the tech billionaire.

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Both candidates agreed on the rules for their upcoming TV debate on Wednesday.

The ABC-hosted event in Philadelphia on Tuesday will follow the same rules and format as the June debate between Trump and Biden.

Candidate microphones will only be active when it is their turn to speak.

The upcoming debates are considered crucial as the race for the presidency is close following a surge in Democratic support after Biden stepped down in favor of Harris in July.

Some polls even show the Democrat, who could become the first female and first black woman president, leading in the polls.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his preference for the “infectious” Democrat to win.

Early voting will be available in at least four states by the end of September, with a dozen more states following suit by mid-October.