Trump's lawyers argued that the prosecutors continued to file briefs and produce discovery to the defense while the case is on hold, thereby abusing the latter as a platform to advance political competitor President Joe Biden's political talking points.
"President Donald J. Trump respectfully moves this court for an order to show cause why prosecutors Jack Smith, Molly Gaston and Thomas Windom (collectively, the 'prosecutors') should not be held in contempt for violating the Court’s order 'stay[ing] any further proceedings that would move this case towards trial or impose additional burdens of litigation on defendant'," the motion said.
In December, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to Trump's request to stay proceedings in the case while the appeals process plays out.
Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said Smith unilaterally decided to disobey the stay order and continue with his "harassing litigation" to "keep parroting the Biden campaign’s corrupt talking points in the name of election interference."
No prosecutor should be considered exempt from the law, Cheung added.