Rep. Schiff Calls on the Judicial Conference to Allow Live Broadcasting of Trump Court Proceedings
Washington, DC — Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), joined by Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), and Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), called on the Judicial Conference to authorize the live broadcasting of court proceedings in the case of the United States of America v. Donald J. Trump.
The current policy of the Judicial Conference permits judges to authorize broadcasting, televising, recording, or photographing for certain criminal proceedings.
“Given the historic nature of the charges brought forth in these cases, it is hard to imagine a more powerful circumstance for televised proceedings. If the public is to fully accept the outcome, it will be vitally important for it to witness, as directly as possible, how the trials are conducted, the strength of the evidence adduced and the credibility of witnesses,” the lawmakers wrote.
The letter was also signed by Representatives Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Gerald Connolly (D-Va.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Henry Johnson (D-Ga.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), Eleanor Norton (D-D.C.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Mary Scanlon (D-Pa.), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Mark Takano (D- Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.).
The full letter can be found here and below:
Dear Judge Mauskopf:
We are writing to request the Judicial Conference explicitly authorize the broadcasting of court proceedings in the cases of United States of America v. Donald J. Trump. It is imperative the Conference ensures timely access to accurate and reliable information surrounding these cases and all of their proceedings, given the extraordinary national importance to our democratic institutions and the need for transparency.
As the policymaking body for the federal courts, the Judicial Conference has historically supported increased transparency and public access to the courts’ activities. Given the historic nature of the charges brought forth in these cases, it is hard to imagine a more powerful circumstance for televised proceedings. If the public is to fully accept the outcome, it will be vitally important for it to witness, as directly as possible, how the trials are conducted, the strength of the evidence adduced and the credibility of witnesses.
We urge the conference to take additional steps, including live broadcasting, to ensure the facts of this case are brought forward, unfiltered, to the public.