CNN’s Paula Reid Shoots Down Elise Stefanik Attacking Trump Trial Delay as ‘Election Interference’: ‘Trump Team…Chose Not to Proceed’

AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File.

CNN chief legal correspondent Paula Reid swiftly shot down Rep. Elise Stefanik’s (R-NY) attempt to attack a delay in E. Jean Carroll’s civil defamation trial against former President Donald Trump, pointing out that the decision was made by Trump’s own legal team.

The courtroom was abuzz Monday morning after one of the jurors was out sick and Judge Lewis Kaplan announced that the trial would adjourn for the day. According to CNN, there are nine jurors for this trial and no alternates, and the judge gave both parties the option to continue with just eight jurors. Carroll’s lawyers agreed but Trump attorney Alina Habba — who memorably clashed with Kaplan multiple times last week — asked to adjourn.

Habba herself is facing some health issues of her own, according to that same CNN report:

Kaplan also confirmed that Alina Habba and Michael Madaio tested negative for Covid-19 in court this morning. They took Covid tests because Habba said she had dinner with her parents three days ago and now they have Covid. Habba said she had a fever and isn’t feeling well, though she has not tested positive.

Habba did not appear to be wearing a mask. Trump was sitting next to her in the courtroom.

Shortly after it was reported that the trial was canceled for the day, Stefanik took to The Platform Formerly Known as Twitter to air her grievances. The New York Republican who has pivoted from more moderate stances to become one of Trump’s most vociferous defenders retweeted a pro-Trump account called “johnny maga” who pointed out that the trial was delayed “until tomorrow — the day of the NH primary” and declared that to be “ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” — perhaps reflecting the ex-president’s well-known predilection for all-caps rants.

Stefanik added her own commentary, writing, “This is blatant election interference! Joe Biden and his Democrat cronies are the true threats to democracy!” — and also adding her own all-caps footnote, “TRUMP 2024!”

Reid batted down Stefanik’s attack with her own tweet.

“What?” Reid wrote. “The judge gave lawyers the option to continue with just eight jurors, after one went home sick, but Trump lawyer said she wanted an adjournment for the day.”

“The Trump team had a choice and chose not to proceed today,” Reid concluded.

MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin offered her own theory, in a six-tweet thread, on the “strategic reason” Trump’s legal team might have requested the adjournment, speculating that their assessment of the various jurors’ sympathies meant that the particular one who was out sick was one whom they believed might be more inclined to issue a verdict more favorable to Trump.

“I think Trump’s side likes their chances better with the sick juror than without him,” wrote Rubin. “Because this jury is anonymous and steps have been taken to protect them from harassment, I hesitate to publish even vague details about his age, education, occupation, etc. But it’s fair to say that at least on the surface, he doesn’t seem to be a limousine liberal. ”

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