Because this week has brought sharp relief, Donald TrumpThe main legal problem is that he faces 88 criminal cases, including an ongoing criminal trial that started Monday in New York City. It is one of four ongoing cases against the former president in three jurisdictions.
And while these are clearly the Republican’s most serious legal problems — the outcomes of which could, at least in theory, lead to prison sentences — the presumptive Republican nominee is also simultaneously dealing with a number of significant civil lawsuits.
That includes several cases from January 6 that Trump desperately wants to derail, or at least delay. As Politico reported yesterday, these efforts are not going well.
For those who might benefit from a refresher, in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack, police officers injured in the insurrectionist violence were among those who filed lawsuits against Trump. In fact, several cases have been filed:
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In March 2021, two Capitol Police officers, James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby, sued Trump, claiming he was liable for the injuries they suffered during the riot.
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In August 2021, another seven police officers who were attacked and beaten during the Capitol riot sued the former president.
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In January 2022, three more police officers — including two who helped evacuate lawmakers — sued Trump, seeking damages for their physical and emotional injuries.
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In January 2023, the longtime partner of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after the January 6 riot, filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Trump.
The former president and his defense team have repeatedly tried to argue that Trump has “immunity” from such cases — a defense rejected by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in December and then last month.
It is against this backdrop that the Republican and his lawyers have resorted to a different kind of pitch, asking that the civil cases related to January 6 be postponed until after the criminal charges related to January 6 are resolved. As Team Trump undoubtedly knows, it’s an open question whether a criminal trial will take place before Election Day 2024 – it’s entirely possible that won’t – so the request is to delay the civil suit for a while .
So far this is not going well, increasing the prospect of January 6 liability on several legal fronts.
This message updates our related previous reporting.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
