Indictment against former US president - Trump: Supreme Court should stay out of it for now
Former US President Donald Trump wants the US Supreme Court not to resolve the issue of his immunity for the time being. The Republican asked the court on Wednesday (local time) to reject a corresponding request from special investigator Jack Smith.
The 77-year-old is thus playing for time in the court proceedings against him for attempted election fraud. Smith had asked the Supreme Court in the previous week to quickly clarify whether Trump can be prosecuted at federal level for his attempts to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election - or whether he is protected by his immunity as president.
Trump's lawyers have now argued that the special prosecutor's actions are urging the court to bypass the usual procedures and negligently rule on immunity-related issues.
Storming the Capitol
Trump has been charged with attempted election fraud in the US capital Washington. Trump's supporters stormed the seat of parliament in Washington on January 6, 2021. Congress had convened there to formally confirm the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential election. Trump had previously incited his supporters during a speech. Five people died as a result of the riots. Trump had filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, citing the president's immunity.
However, he failed. "Defendant's four years of service as Commander-in-Chief did not confer upon him the divine right of kings to escape the criminal liability that applies to his fellow citizens," the judge in charge wrote in her ruling. Trump's team appealed against this decision.
But Special Prosecutor Smith chose an unusual route: he bypassed the appeals court and turned directly to the Supreme Court with a request to resolve the issue quickly. "This case involves issues of exceptional national importance," he wrote. "This case should therefore be decided expeditiously so that the trial can proceed if and when the defendant's claim of immunity is denied."
Smith is therefore trying to speed up the process, while Trump wants to delay the proceedings by any means possible - at best until after the 2024 presidential election. The trial is due to begin in March next year. Trump wants to move into the White House once again for the Republicans. He leads by a wide margin in internal party polls - the primaries for the candidacy begin in a few weeks. So far, everything points to a re-run of the election campaign between Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden.
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- Despite the criminal charges against him, former U.S. President Donald Trump is hoping for the Supreme Court to pause its involvement in the indictment proceedings for now.
- Special investigator Jack Smith, who is handling the case, was initially seeking clarity from the Supreme Court on whether Trump can be prosecuted for attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election result due to his former presidential immunity.
- In recent weeks, Joe Biden has maintained a significant lead over Trump in internal Republican polls, indicating a potential re-match between the two in the 2024 presidential election.
- During the 2021 Capitol riots, Trump had incited his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol while Congress was in session, officially confirming Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election.
- Although Trump argued for his immunity while facing charges in Washington D.C., the judge ultimately dismissed his motion, deeming that his presidency did not confer divine rights for escaping criminal liability.
- With a trial set to begin in March 2023, the Republicans, including Trump himself, are trying to delay the proceedings as much as possible, aiming to mobilize support for a potential second term in the White House.
Source: www.stern.de
