They may have been friends in the past, but ever since they faced off in the 2016 election, President Donald Trump and former First Lady Hillary Clinton have been at war with each other, figuratively speaking.
Now, their fight is about to escalate to the nation’s highest court.
Trump is continuing his long-running legal battle against Clinton by asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court ruling that dismissed his civil conspiracy claims and imposed nearly $1 million in sanctions.
Justice Clarence Thomas granted Trump’s request for additional time to file a petition asking the Supreme Court to hear the case.
Trump was originally given until Sept. 9 to submit his petition in Trump v. Clinton, which stems from allegations that Clinton and others helped promote claims that Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia.
In a new request to Thomas this week, they want another extension that would make the petition due Oct. 9.
The justice granted the request on Thursday afternoon.
“Because of the press of urgent business by the lead Petitioner, President of the United States, along with the need for counsel to confer with Petitioners regarding the content and scope of the petition,” Trump’s lawyers said in the latest extension request.
“The conflicting schedule demands of Petitioners’ counsel, granting additional time will greatly serve the interest of justice, assist in preparing a clear, concise, and comprehensive petition for certiorari for the Court’s review, and reduce any interruption of the work of the President in his full-time and vital role as Chief Executive,” Trump’s lawyers said in the latest extension request,” they added.
As the justice assigned to matters arising from the relevant federal circuit, Thomas handles administrative requests such as filing extensions.
The Supreme Court will decide whether to hear the appeal only after the petition is filed, and at least four justices must vote to grant review before the case can proceed.
Trump’s legal team filed the extension motion on July 23 at the Supreme Court.
In it, his lawyers argued the forthcoming petition will raise “exceptionally important” issues and that the appellate ruling and sanctions order “carries with it profound impact on the Presidency, and the nation as a whole.”
Trump’s appeal is expected to focus not only on the underlying allegations surrounding the Russia investigation but also on the broader legal question of when courts may impose sanctions against a president and his attorneys for filing civil litigation.
The federal appeals court that reviewed the case sharply criticized the lawsuit, concluding that many of the legal arguments advanced by Trump and his attorney, Alina Habba, lacked merit.
The court upheld sanctions totaling nearly $1 million against Trump, Habba, and her New Jersey-based law firm.
The sanctions represent a significant financial penalty, and Trump’s appeal is expected to address both the underlying lawsuit and the broader authority of courts to impose substantial sanctions on litigants whose claims are found to lack legal merit.
Trump’s original complaint alleged that Hillary Clinton and others conspired to promote a false narrative linking his 2016 presidential campaign to Russian election interference.
The district court dismissed those claims, and the federal appeals court upheld that decision. The filing seeking additional time to petition the Supreme Court did not identify the specific appellate circuit that issued the ruling.
Clinton has not publicly commented on the Supreme Court’s decision to grant Trump additional time to file his petition.
Although she is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, the court filings do not indicate that she took any separate action in connection with the extension request.
The lawsuit stems from Trump’s longstanding contention that allegations linking his 2016 presidential campaign to Russian election interference were knowingly promoted through false or misleading claims.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
