Trump is not immune from prosecution in his 2020 election interference case, US appeals court says

girlfreddy@lemmy.ca to News@lemmy.world – 490 points –
Trump is not immune from prosecution in his 2020 election interference case, US appeals court says
apnews.com

The ruling is significant not only for its stark repudiation of Trump’s novel immunity claims but also because it breathes life back into a landmark prosecution that had been effectively frozen for weeks as the court considered the appeal.

Yet the one-month gap between when the court heard arguments and issued its ruling has already created uncertainty about the timing of a trial in a calendar-jammed election year, with the judge overseeing the case last week canceling the initial March 4 date.

Trump’s team vowed to appeal, which could postpones the case by weeks or months — particularly if the Supreme Court agrees to take it up. The judges gave Trump a week to ask the Supreme Court to get involved.

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If that was even sort of a possibility our legal system is dead.

Don't kid yourself, the supreme court may well take it up. The most corrupt supreme court in more than a century, perhaps of all time, is more than happy to tear down the rule of law.

The thing is that if they rule in trump's favor they essentially take away their own power and give it back to the president, because with that ruling president is essentially a king. He can make sure that something unfortunate would happen to anyone non loyal in Congress, SCOTUS etc and have no consequences.

Biden also is still the president right now so it would also apply to him, although I don't think he would go to these lengths.

After the abortion case, the Supreme Court has been cowardly refusing to hear cases where they know the conservative base wants it but nobody else does. They wash their hands and let the lower court's ruling stand.

Thomas will probably vote in favor to hear the case, because he's an sycophantic idiot, but there probably won't be enough others for them to accept the case.

They decided 5-4 on the settled law that the Federal government has authority over the border. The 5 were on the correct side, but it should have bee 9-0. I wouldn't put money on them being chastened by public backlash.

I suspect it's not uncommon to have token dissent so they can pander to their donors and their base but still give the ruling that is the most politically expedient. Much like how a party will let a few members vote against a bill but the bill itself easily has the numbers to pass.

Of course, it's disgusting that supreme court justices have a political alignment at all, but it is what it is.

Letting the lower court's ruling stand says, "We agree. The appeal is meritless." And the fight is officially OVER. That not good enough for you? Should they have heard these cases?

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-bathrooms-indiana-35c59c4dbe94668592c96e2a27c8d517

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/u-s-supreme-court-wont-take-up-wa-capital-gains-tax-challenge/

Not sure who you're yelling at. We seem to agree.

cowardly refusing to hear cases

I meant that bit. I don't find that cowardly, seems perfectly normal jurisprudence. No?

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Except they have had the opportunity to do so, were warned against doing so by many legal professionals, and chose not to.

Yeah they're corrupt assholes but their decisions aren't consistent with wanton destruction of the rule of law. So far.

This talks in part about their decision on Independent State Legislature Doctrine which is what I'm basing the above on:

https://www.vox.com/scotus/2024/2/6/24054902/supreme-court-trump-anderson-disqualification-insurrection-fourteenth-amendment

Yeah they're corrupt assholes but their decisions aren't consistent with wanton destruction of the rule of law. So far.

Perhaps but in this case the relevant fact is that they're corrupt assholes who have lifetime appointments that the GOP will defend at all costs and so they don't need Trump for anything and aren't beholden to him in any way.

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Off to the Supreme Court it goes. So I guess we’ll see if it’s truly dead. Just more stalling.

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Now he hits the big red appeal button and delays judgement until May.

It's stupid. Imagine the presidential immunity were a thing: POTUS could hold a press conference, rape a reporter in front of cameras, kill her husband at the same time, and nobody would be allowed to stop it.

Also Joe Biden could do whatever he wants to his political opponents

It would be kinda hilarious if the Supreme Court took up the case and Biden showed up to watch the hearing carrying a baseball bat.

He could have his Secret Service detail aiming red laser pointers at whomever he points finger guns.

No, no, couldn't congress impeach and convict him during the ordeal and then they'd be good to charge him with a crime? Only the one he was committing once the vote was tallied of course, after the senator filibustering the vote was pressured, and it was on the agenda. It seems like such a simple thing to do unless the President gave himself a pardon in advance of course.

The whole idea is completely preposterous, that anyone should have that sort of immunity, to the point that justices should have been writing their decision as soon as the idea was brought up and knew it could land in their court.

They don't need to write anything if they wish stay true to the constitution and justice. All they need to do is simply say, "Nope we good Fam, we ain't hearing shit about this." And that lets the Appeals Court stand.

Congress couldn't do shit because anyone voting to impeach the president would be a "political opponent" and would get murderized

I mean as long as he accused the couple of voting illegally or something, sure, yes.

Supreme Court waiting in the wings to crown a new king via a 6-3 vote.

But they would be crowning Biden, since he's the sitting president and could really lay into the immunity to stay there.

The democrats don’t have the balls to play king even if they were given the opportunity.

Why does everyone on lemmy think the Court is in Trump's pocket? Being conservative is one thing, being partisan is another. And for that matter, they've make rulings regarding, or refused to hear, cases where a Republican would be drooling to overturn the question.

And they shot Trump down once on his election bullshit already. I seriously doubt SCOTUS hears this one, it's too fucking ludicrous.

Because the Dobbs ruling demonstrated just how corrupt and partisan they are.

But if he never sees any consequences does it even matter? Hard to not be apathetic about this never ending clown show.

Don't worry, only ten, maybe fifteen more years of delays and appeals, and this case will go to trial!

Getting my popcorn ready for the post-trial appeals (i know I'm getting ahead of myself but that's my favorite part 🍿¯\_(ツ)_/¯🍿)

On the day that you were born... The supremes got together and decided to make your dreams come true! Just like me, they long to be... Close to you!

In the words of George Carlin... Just a little song I wrote myself. I don't mean I wrote the song to myself. I mean I myself wrote the god damn song!

And adjustment to prior art really.