Lawyers for John Smith asked a federal judge in Iowa on Wednesday to block President Donald Trump from making any “partisan political attacks” during his criminal trial.
In a motion, Smith’s lawyers argued that “any political utterance by President Trump could prejudice the jury and influence the outcome of the case.”
They noted that Trump has made a habit of commenting on cases under judicial review, particularly those cases related to special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
The lawyers argued that Trump’s “shrill and distracting political comments” pose a significant risk of “prejudging the case” and tainting the jury pool with his influence.
They asked the judge to issue an order that would keep Trump from commenting on or discussing the case until after a verdict is reached.
