Attorneys for former President Trump backed an effort from media organizations to allow cameras for his federal election fraud trial next year, in a filing Friday.
They argued that allowing cameras in the courtroom would show how “unfairly” Trump is being treated by the justice system to the American public.
“President Trump calls for sunlight,” the attorneys wrote. “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.”
Trump has vehemently denied and denounced the criminal charges, which allege that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election. The case is set to go to trial in March.
Trump joins a coalition of media outlets who requested that judge presiding over the case allow cameras in the courtroom in early October.
Special counsel Jack Smith opposed the effort to broadcast the trial last week, arguing that federal and local rules prohibit televising trials of this nature.
The Washington-based election fraud trial is the most prominent of five trials in the upcoming months for Trump, four of which are criminal cases.
A New York criminal case over falsified documents will go to trial in late March, and a Florida-based federal case alleging mishandling of classified documents is scheduled for trial in May.
A Georgia election fraud trial date has not yet been set, but will begin in January at the earliest, while a separate New York civil trial over business fraud charges is currently ongoing.
In the Washington election fraud case, Trump has pushed back on a court-imposed partial gag order, which limits what he can publicly say about the case and witnesses.
His attorneys objected to the order in a filing on Wednesday.
“President Trump has made many public statements about this case in the three months since his indictment, and yet the Department of Justice … submitted no evidence of any ‘threats’ or ‘harassment’ to prosecutors, witnesses, or court staff during that time,” the attorneys wrote.
