Trump Pleads Not Guilty in Classified Documents Court Arraignment
Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty today during his arraignment hearing in a federal court in Miami over the mishandling of classified documents.
Trump was indicted last week on charges of violating the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice related to the removal of classified documents from the White House and their storage at his Mar-a-Lago estate after he left office.
If convicted, Trump faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count, though federal sentencing guidelines would likely recommend a lower sentence.
During today's brief hearing, Trump answered "not guilty" when asked how he wanted to plead in response to the charges. His lawyers had submitted the not guilty plea on his behalf last week after the indictment was issued.
Trump's legal team argued in court filings that he had absolute authority as president to declassify any documents he wanted, including the ones seized from Mar-a-Lago. However, prosecutors said there is no evidence that Trump took formal steps to declassify the documents and that his claims should not shield him from the charges.
The judge set a tentative trial date for September 2023 and ordered both sides to submit a status report by August 1. Trump's lawyers are expected to continue fighting efforts by prosecutors to access nearly 100 classified documents with classification markings that were seized from Mar-a-Lago in August.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has characterized the investigation as a politically motivated "witch hunt." The Justice Department has insisted that its investigation is being conducted independently and without political influence.
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