WASHINGTON — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump said in a filing Tuesday night that they plan to file multiple motions to get the criminal charges in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case against the former president dismissed.
“Defendants currently plan to file on February 22, at minimum, a series of motions to dismiss the Superseding Indictment and certain of the charges therein,” Todd Blanche and Christopher Kise wrote in the newly filed motion, which seeks to extend certain deadlines in the case. The superseding indictment in the case alleges Trump was involved in a scheme to delete security video at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump’s legal team added that the defense is “still evaluating potential motions” and they could relate to presidential immunity, the Presidential Records Act, Trump’s security clearances, and “selective and vindictive prosecution,” among other issues.
Prosecutors from special counsel Jack Smith’s office and Trump’s defense team have until Feb. 22 to file pretrial motions in the case.
In Wednesday’s filing, Trump’s lawyers argue that they should be allowed to file additional motions beyond that deadline based on any additional evidence they receive from the prosecution.
Trump’s team has filed several pending motions with Judge Aileen Cannon, who’s overseeing the case in Florida, seeking orders to compel evidence they claim is in the government’s possession.
The former president’s lawyers have asked that they be allowed one month to file additional substantive motions after Cannon rules on Trump’s pending requests. The special counsel’s office has indicated that prosecutors are opposed to such a request.
The special counsel’s office didn’t immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
The case has been scheduled to go to trial in May, but that date could be pushed back. A scheduling conference is currently set for March 1, during which Cannon could postpone it.
Trump faces a number of criminal charges in the case, including willful retention of national defense information, false statements and representations, conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document, concealing a document in a federal investigation and a scheme to conceal.
