Trump became the first former US president to be found guilty of a crime on May 30, when a New York court found him guilty on 34 felony counts of fabricating financial records to conceal a sex scandal during the latter half of the 2016 presidential campaign. Donald Trump, a former president, is going to face a delayed trial for allegedly plotting to rig the 2020 election results after the US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that he is entitled to certain protection from prosecution. Trump, the former US president, is not prosecutable for his official activities but not for his unofficial ones, according to a decision by the US Supreme Court.
This verdict relates to the violent incident that occurred on January 6, 2021, when a mob led by Trump invaded the US Capitol in an attempt to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election. Due to his presidential immunity, Trump has claimed he could not be charged in the case.
Trump has immunity for official acts: Says Supreme Court in landmark ruling
Due to U.S. Supreme Court’s July 1 ruling that Donald Trump is entitled to some protection from prosecution as a former president, the trial for his alleged scheme to rig the 2020 election can be delayed. Four months before Mr. Trump, the Republican nominee against Democrat Joe Biden, faces the electorate, the 6-3 vote was divided along ideological lines.
According to Chief Justice John Roberts’ majority ruling, a conservative justice, a president is entitled to “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for official activity carried out while in office. In the majority opinion, a president may be subject to his opponents’ retaliation after leaving office if official activities were not protected from legal consequences. However, Chief Justice John Roberts clarified that there are restrictions on presidential immunity in the majority judgment.
What is the ruling?
On July 1, the US Supreme Court decided that previous presidents are not subject to punishment for acts they took while in office that were within their constitutional jurisdiction. In response to Donald Trump’s request to be exempted from federal criminal prosecution in connection with his attempts to void the results of the 2020 election, this ruling was made. The verdict carries noteworthy consequences for the extent of presidential immunity and the current legal actions directed on Trump.
The reason for this 6-3 ruling is that Trump was accused of trying to use false allegations of election fraud to try and reverse the outcomes of the US elections held in November 2020. Trump has maintained that he should not face any legal repercussions for the acts he committed while serving as president. Trump’s claim was denied by lower courts, such as the District Court and the D.C. Circuit, which stated that past presidents are not infallibly immune to criminal prosecution. However, it remained unclear from both courts whether Trump’s activities were part of his formal presidential duties.
The court stated that it was crucial to carefully consider the extent of Presidential power under the US Constitution, even though it was the first time in US history that a former President had been criminally prosecuted for activities made during his Presidency.
What Judge said?
As per the Supreme Court’s ruling, past presidents are not prosecuted for activities they took while in office that were within their constitutional jurisdiction. With three Trump-appointed judges, the court has a 6-3 conservative majority. One of the four criminal cases that Trump has been involved in is embodied by Smith’s election subversion accusations.
With this verdict, a lower court’s decision to deny Trump’s claim of immunity was overturned. The Court based its argument for this immunity on Article II of the Constitution, which gives the President executive power. It went on to say that such immunity has to be granted in accordance with the arrangement of different authorities under the constitution.
Ruling sets ‘dangerous precedent’- President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden issued a warning, claiming that Donald Trump will take advantage of the “dangerous precedent” created by the US Supreme Court’s historic decision on presidential immunity if elected in November. As far as practical considerations go, the ruling of today most likely implies that the powers of a president are infinite. This sets a risky precedent and is a dangerous precedent. Biden stated at a White House address.
Impact of this decision?
Concerns of responsibility for serious charges like bribery, treason, or even murder are raised by the precedent created by the verdict, which exempts previous presidents from prosecution for official activities. It suggests that the prosecution of a former president would need Congress’s impeachment and conviction a procedure that has never led to the removal of a president in US history. The way that past and present presidents are held responsible for their deeds while in office may change as a result of this decision.
This should now state that President Biden can now also overturn the election without repercussions. Not a great scenario all the way around.