Former President of the United States Donald Trump appealed, this Monday (12), to the Supreme Court against a decision by a lower court that determined that the Republican did not enjoy presidential immunity and should be prosecuted for trying to reverse the results. of the 2020 elections, instigating the attack on the Capitol.
Trump had until that date to challenge the decision of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which on the 6th argued that, upon leaving the White House, he became another “citizen”, thereby no longer being protected by immunity. that he had in his position.
Now the case is in the hands of the Supreme Court, whose decisions could determine whether the former president will go on trial in Washington before the November elections.
In the text of the appeal, his lawyers asked the judges to delay examining the issue of immunity. “The assertion (…) that leaders have absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for their official acts presents a new, complex and important issue that deserves careful consideration on appeal,” the order said.
The Republican's legal team has been trying to delay any legal proceedings against him, as Trump's eventual victory at the polls over current president Joe Biden would place him at the head of the government and give him the authority to order his attorney general to dismiss the federal charges against him.
Trump's strategy has already worked and ensured that the legal case against him for election interference, presided over by District of Columbia Judge Tanya Chutkan, has remained stalled since December.
Although the start of this trial was initially scheduled for March 4, that date was suspended without a new one being scheduled.
In light of Trump's efforts, the special prosecutor in charge of the case, Jack Smith, is doing everything possible to ensure that the trial takes place this year.
Supreme Court justices, where conservatives have a majority, in December rejected a request by Smith to intervene in the presidential immunity lawsuit.
Now, faced with Trump's request, the judges have several options: directly refuse to consider the case, provisionally halt the judicial process against the former president, while they debate the issue of presidential immunity, and also hold a hearing to hear the arguments of the parties. .
There is no deadline for the Supreme Court justices to make a decision, although they will likely seek input from Smith's team before doing so. Of the nine Supreme Court justices, three were appointed by Trump.
The Washington indictment is one of four criminal charges Trump faces. If the trial is postponed, the first to be held could be the one in New York for alleged irregular payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels, currently scheduled for March 25.
In addition, the trial in Florida is scheduled for May 20, in which Trump is accused of having illegally stored confidential material in his mansion in Mar-a-Lago.
Finally, there is the case in which the Fulton County Prosecutor's Office (Georgia) accuses Trump of trying to subvert the 2020 election results in that state. A date for this trial has not yet been set. (With EFE Agency)
#Trump #appeals #Supreme #Court #claiming #immunity #fraud
