Federal prosecutors urge judge to keep March 4 trial in Trump election case

Driving the news: "During the pendency of the appeal, any number of matters could arise in this case that are not involved in the appeal; the Court should not enter an order preventing it from handling them," wrote the prosecutors from special counsel Jack Smith's team in the court filing seeking to keep the trial start date on March 4.

• "[I]n light of the public's strong interest in a prompt trial, the Government will seek to ensure that trial proceeds as scheduled," added senior assistant special counsels Molly Gaston and Thomas Windom in the filing to D.C.-based U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.

Of note: Lawyers for Trump, who has pleaded not guilty in all four of his criminal cases, have argued that he should "not be required to endure 'the burdens of litigation'" as president and while his appeal is pending.

• Gaston and Windom wrote in their Sunday filing: "The Government will continue to shoulder its own burden" by meeting every pretrial deadline, "and more." This would include, "depending on the length of the appellate process, the Government's exhibit list" and any motions before the trial begins.

• "Any filings the Government makes according to this Court's schedule while the appeal is pending can then be promptly litigated if the Court's order is affirmed and the mandate is returned."

Go deeper: Federal appeals court narrows Trump gag order in 2020 election case