WASHINGTON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a legal motion backing media requests for live television coverage of his federal trial on charges he conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
In the late Friday filing, Trump argued that prosecutors want the trial held “in darkness” as part of what he claims is a politically motivated effort by President Joe Biden’s administration to undermine his bid for re-election next year.
His unfounded claims that the 2020 vote was rigged spurred thousands of his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a failed bid to block congressional certification of his defeat by Biden.
In his latest filing by his lawyers, John Lauro and Todd Blanche, Trump endorsed requests by media organizations that U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan allow live television coverage of the trial.
“Every person in America, and beyond, should have the opportunity to study this case firsthand and watch as, if there is a trial, President Trump exonerates himself of these baseless and politically motivated charges,” said the filing.
Smith earlier this month opposed the media requests, citing a decades-old federal court rule barring broadcasts of criminal proceedings.
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