Trump opposes Oct. 23 start date in Georgia after co-defendant demands speedy trial

Former President Trump opposed an effort to move the trial for his election interference case in Georgia up to October, asking to sever his case from that of a co-defendant who asked for a speedy trial.

The notice from Trump came after co-defendant Kenneth Chesebro filed a motion for a speedy trial and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) suggested an Oct. 23 trial date for all 19 defendants in the case.

“President Trump also alerts the Court that he will be filing a timely motion to sever his case from that of co-defendant Chesebro, who has filed a demand for speedy trial, or any other co-defendant who files such a demand,” Trump’s attorney Steven Sadow wrote in response to Willis’s motion.

The swift action shows the potential for infighting among the suite of defendants.

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In pursuing a speedy trial, Chesebro, a lawyer and key coordinator of an alleged plan to use fake electors to overturn the election results, would slate the trial to begin within the next two court terms, or within about four months.

It was a move almost certain to be opposed by Trump, who has a history of seeking delays in matters before courts.

The October date is four months earlier than the one Willis initially suggested for the trial over whether Trump and others participated in a criminal conspiracy to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results — a timeline legal experts previously told The Hill was ambitious at best.

A Georgia judge agreed to the date Willis suggested, but only for Chesebro, noting that “at this time, these deadlines do not apply to any co-defendant” beyond him.

Trump is facing numerous upcoming court dates. A March 25 trial date is set in Trump’s New York hush money case, and a May 20 date is set for the federal case probing his handling of classified documents. 

Special counsel Jack Smith has also requested a Jan. 2 trial date in his election interference case, with a Washington-based judge set to review the matter Monday.

Updated at 4:18 p.m. ET