Trump’s criminal prosecution was suspended after his legal team chased behind presidential immunity to shield the former president from lawsuit, but its legitimacy in a criminal trial became a subject of legal dispute which the Supreme Court now examines
Trump’s defense against the prosecution proclaiming his alleged involvement in plotting of subversion strategy during 2020 election was opened for arguments on Thursday. The key focus of the sitting bench of judges was to study the legitimacy which Trump’s legal team claims immunes the officeholder from criminal lawsuit.
The 77 year old has been charged with four criminal counts, including conspiracy to defraud the US. The Federal prosecutors alleged he pressured officials to reverse the results of 2020 presidential election, knowingly spread lies about election fraud, and capitalized on his influence to exploit Capital riot on January 6 2021 to delay the certification of Joe Biden’s victory and sabotage peaceful commune of transfer of power.
The US Supreme Court on Thursday heard roughly three hour long argument disputing Trump’s claim of Presidential immunity as his escape from potential criminal litigation. Whether will the judges grant the former president ‘absolute immunity’ or will another courtroom drama unleash tragedy over his presidential candidature thusly hangs in uncertainty.
Liberals and conservatives charge dispute over Trump’s pending immunity avow
The judges of the Supreme Court stood equivocally headstrong on deterring ‘absolute immunity’ to the former president. In spite of the clarity one would assume on their judgement, there was lingering division over ‘partial immunity’ which majority justices declared resides with the presidents.
Fearing broader conflict, conservative justices – Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh, reiterated their distaste for no protection ruling which can generate uncontrollable rippling effect – taking under former presidents who had made mistakes during their time in the office as reason enough to prosecute them if the supreme court decides that presidents have no immunity from criminal prosecution. The government disputed that prosecutors could recklessly target former presidents, arguing there were checks and balances in the judicial system which prohibited their timely prosecution.
Standing miles-apart were libertarians who expressed their deep concerns if immunity prevails it will be a welcoming offer for future presidents to not fear from violating criminal code of conduct and use their office as a shield to subvert from unlawful deliberations. “Once we say, ‘no criminal liability’, Mr. President. You can do whatever you want, it will have far worse consequences”, said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Despite the longstanding arguments which mostly rendered dispute to what extent a president shall be deemed immune from deliberate criminality, the Supreme Court did not seem determined in granting ‘absolute immunity’ to Donald J. Trump.
Despite poor prospect of ‘absolute immunity’ it was still a joyous Trumpian moment
The court though had seemingly declined their directive for absolute immunity for the former president, yet there were many justices who expressed an interest in letting the lower court decide whether the indictment included offences resolute enough to press criminal charges over Trump.
Should the Supreme Court decide to remand the case back to US district court presided by judge Tanya Chutkan, it will be a jubilation expose for Trump’s legal discourse as it would hinge delay on the overall trial proceedings – most definitely surpassing the impending presidential elections.
The probable submission of remand back to the lower court from the Supreme Court will severely rupture prosecutors’ aspirations. Overall it will open a streak of appeals from Trump’s legal team pivoting scrupulously towards US court of appeals, swinging the case back to the DC circuit for observation. And hence exploding an everlasting chain of appeals and scrutiny. The court delays would be particularly beneficial for Trump’s election campaign as the former president continues strangulating under a mountain of legal discrepancies therefore, a hold-up would be a huge sign of relief.
