Trump seeks more time to file Supreme Court petition in 2016 case

Donald Trump’s personal lawyers asked Justice Clarence Thomas for more time to file a Supreme Court petition in a 2016 case involving Hillary Clinton and a bid to revive Trump’s claim of a conspiracy involving Russia, after an appeals court rejected the suit and imposed nearly $1 million in sanctions. According to MS NOW, the conservative appeals court upheld dismissal of Trump’s civil RICO and injurious falsehood claims and sanctioned Trump, Alina Habba, and her law firm. MS NOW reported the panel said many of Trump’s and Habba’s legal arguments were frivolous.

The lawyers sought an extension that would make the Supreme Court petition due Oct. 9, after already receiving an extension until Sept. 9 from Thomas, as stated by MS NOW.

Trump’s lawyers told Thomas the added time would serve the interest of justice and help prepare a “clear, concise, and comprehensive petition for certiorari,” MS NOW reported. They also described the need to confer on the petition’s content and scope and cited the “conflicting schedule demands” faced by counsel, according to MS NOW.

Among the urgent business cited in support of another extension, MS NOW said the lawyers pointed to other cases they represent Trump in, including a recently filed petition seeking to revive a defamation case against CNN regarding the 2020 election. MS NOW reported the justices have not yet decided whether to review that defamation petition, and that four justices are needed for review on the nine-member bench.

In their latest request, Trump’s lawyers reiterated that the case involves “a series of fundamental legal errors by the district court and the court of appeals,” MS NOW reported. MS NOW said the lawyers argued those alleged errors included dismissal of Trump’s civil RICO and injurious falsehood claims and an improper imposition of “extreme sanctions.” They said the appeals court erred by concluding the claims were filed after the applicable statute of limitations expired and that an award of more than $1 million in sanctions was therefore appropriate, as reported by MS NOW.

MS NOW reported the lawyers said they plan to present the justices with questions on statute of limitations tolling provisions for civil RICO claims and on “tolling principles” applicable to the President of the United States.