In a series of legal debates surrounding former President Donald Trump, various arguments have been presented regarding presidential immunity and accountability. NYC DA Bragg criticized the rationale behind not labeling payments in Trump's ledger as 'Hush Money,' implying that such categorization might have influenced prosecution decisions. During court proceedings, Justice Kagan questioned Trump's lawyer, D. John Sauer, about whether a president staging a coup could be considered an 'official act' immune from prosecution, to which Sauer responded that it 'could well be.' Justice Jackson highlighted the potential dangers of absolute immunity, questioning the disincentive of turning the Oval Office into a 'seat of criminality' and referencing the Nixon pardon as a historical precedent. Furthermore, Trump's legal team has argued that without presidential immunity, the presidency as it is known would not exist, citing a 1973 opinion by Robert Bork. Speculation arises that Trump might lose the case.
Justice Jackson tells Trump's lawyer that he seems to be "worried about the president being chilled." She argues that, in reality, a "really significant opposite problem" would emerge: "If the president wasn't chilled, if someone with those kinds of powers, the most powerful…
The Trump legal position is also that the president can't be impeached after his term ends, therefore the window to fully investigate a coup plot, impeach and convict over it, and only THEN prosecute would be all of two weeks in a Jan. 6 scenario
The Trump legal position is also that the president can't be impeached after his term ends, so the window to fully investigate the coup plot, impeach and convict over it, and only THEN prosecute would have been all of two weeks in 2020
"I’m trying to understand what the disincentive is of turning the Oval Office into the seat of criminality." Justice Jackson on Trump's claim of absolute immunity.
‘What was up with the pardon of President Nixon?’: Justice Jackson cuts right to the chase on Watergate escape hatch during Trump immunity arguments https://t.co/GS0lcoxamr
Trump attorney D. John Sauer: “Without presidential immunity from criminal prosecution, there can be no presidency as we know it.” https://t.co/w8Pt4vIqss
Have a suspicion Trump might lose this one https://t.co/zOHoZVXjl8
LAWFARE: NYC DA Bragg argues that President Trump would not be prosecuted if his accountants had simply called payments to his lawyer 'Hush Money Payments' in Trump's ledger instead of 'Legal Payments'. The case against Trump is absurd. https://t.co/uZ6VSYowfJ
Kagan asked Trump’s lawyer if a president staging a coup is an “official act” immune from prosecution. “It depends on the circumstances,” Sauer responded. “It could well be.” https://t.co/UWILfo9QC3
Trump attorney D. John Sauer: "Without presidential immunity from criminal prosecution, there can be no presidency as we know it." https://t.co/1ejJPQkX4u
Trump’s lawyer is leaning on a Robert Bork OLC opinion from 1973.
Trump Lawyer Says Having a Political Rival Killed Could Constitute ‘Official’ Presidential Act More: https://t.co/2SRSeD7Gq2 https://t.co/9Tnxb4wurM