Does The Squad Need To Be Thrown Out Of Congress?

In a striking turn of events, a federal judge on Wednesday thwarted former President Trump’s bid to postpone a civil lawsuit charging him with liability for the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol siege.

Despite facing a slew of federal criminal charges related to the 2020 election aftermath and the tumultuous events of Jan. 6, Trump’s legal team, in a bold move back in August, sought a hiatus in the civil proceedings, pointing to significant case similarities.

However, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, in a decisively curt order, rebuffed Trump’s plea for delay, branding it as “unjustified.”

“The case is still in its initial phases,” Mehta penned, emphasizing that the purported conflict of defending both civil and criminal cases would only become a reality during the evidence-gathering stage, if at all. “The appeal is thus premature. Moreover, considering the interests at stake, including the plaintiff’s and the public’s appetite for progress, a postponement is not in the cards.”

The lawsuit was filed on the cusp of Jan. 6’s second anniversary by Sandra Garza, the devoted partner of Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who tragically succumbed just hours post the Capitol chaos.

In a heart-wrenching twist, Sicknick faced a pepper-spray assault during the turmoil and subsequently endured two strokes, leading to his demise the next day. A later medical examination declared his death natural, yet underscored the day’s harrowing events as contributory. Echoing this sentiment, the U.S. Capitol Police affirmed Sicknick perished while serving.

The push for a breather emerged shortly after Trump found himself ensnared in four indictments, including charges over alleged attempts to subvert the 2020 election results, with ties to Jan. 6. He has since entered a plea of not guilty across all fronts.

The proposed pause, extending through the criminal case’s lifespan, including potential appeals, hinted at a protracted delay, potentially stretching over several seasons, even years.

“Without a stay, President Trump faces the impossible choice of either vigorously contesting this case, thereby jeopardizing his criminal defense, or invoking the Fifth Amendment, thus undermining his position in the present lawsuit,” Trump’s legal counsel argued in their submissions.