U.S. Supreme Court refuses to quickly rule on immunity case, Trump welcomes it
(AFP, Washington, 22nd) The U.S. Supreme Court today refused to immediately hear a case in which former President Trump claimed immunity from prosecution, which is likely to delay his trial in the 2020 election interference case. Trump welcomed the Supreme Court’s move and said he looked forward to making his case before the appeals court.
He posted on his personal social platform: “Of course I am entitled to presidential immunity.”
He once again claimed without definite evidence that he had originally won the 2020 election. He said, “I was the president at the time, and it was my right and obligation to investigate and speak out about the rigged presidential election and the stolen election in 2020.” ”.
U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith bypassed the federal appeals court and asked the Supreme Court to quickly rule on Trump’s immunity case. The Supreme Court rejected the special prosecutor’s request in a one-line order today, without providing any reasons for the ruling. The Supreme Court currently has a 6-3 conservative majority, with three justices appointed by Trump when he was president.
Trump is accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election and is currently scheduled to be tried on March 4, 2024. Trump, 77, is leading the polls for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Trump’s legal team has repeatedly sought to postpone the trial until after next year’s election, arguing that Trump enjoys “absolute immunity” and cannot be prosecuted for his actions while serving in the White House.
Federal District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who heard the case, ruled on the 1st of this month that his actions while in office were not immune from criminal charges, saying that being president does not mean he has a lifelong “get out of jail free card.”
Trump’s legal team then filed a protest with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and Special Prosecutor Smith asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
The immunity case will now be prioritized by the Court of Appeal following today’s rejection by the Supreme Court.
Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said the March trial date may change as a result. Tobias pointed out that the Supreme Court has agreed to fast-track appeals in 19 cases in the past four years, and it is unclear why it refused this time.
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has scheduled arguments for January 9 next year, and the ruling is expected to eventually reach the Supreme Court, whose current session will end in June next year.
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2023-12-23 03:35:26
