Trump’s Immunity From Prosecution Isn’t Broad, Federal Appeals Court Rules

(CTN News) – A three-judge panel in the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled that Donald Trump does not enjoy broad immunity from federal prosecution, a major setback for the former president.

According to the prosecution, former President Trump has become citizen Trump and is entitled to the same defenses as any criminal defendant in this case.”

In a month, Trump’s lawyers claimed that he was immune from federal prosecution, a claim that the special counsel said would undermine democracy and allow presidents to commit crimes while in office, such as accepting bribes to direct government contracts or selling nuclear secrets to foreign adversaries.

A president who is the only officer with the constitutional duty to ensure that laws are faithfully executed would be “a striking paradox,” the judges wrote.

“As a matter of principle, I respectfully disagree with the DC Circuit’s decision, and intend to appeal.

Presidents who leave office without immunity will be indicted by the opposition right away,” he said. Without full immunity, a president can’t do his job!”

Commentary from the special counsel’s team was not provided.

Tuesday, the court said its analysis was specific to the case.

During the oral argument, one of the D.C. judges pressed Trump lawyer Sauer about whether he believed a president could sell pardons or nuclear secrets, or even order a Navy SEAL team to kill an opponent, and evade criminal prosecution.

According to Judge Karen L. Henderson, it seems “paradoxical” that presidents would swear to obey the law, only to break it and receive legal protection for it.

Judges wrote that the office of the presidency cannot place its former occupants above the law for the rest of their lives. According to them, such a move would undermine the separation of powers by placing the President beyond the reach of all three branches.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts alleging that he plotted to cling to power and disenfranchise millions of voters. This culminated in violence at the U.S. Capitol three years ago that injured 140 law enforcement officers and shook the foundations of the American political system.

The federal criminal case against Trump and Tuesday’s decision are both at a critical juncture. While Trump is the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, he continues to claim he won the 2020 election without any basis in fact.

91 criminal charges against Trump in four different U.S. jurisdictions already conflict with the election.

The District of Columbia and Florida federal cases against him will be dismissed if he returns to the White House. An election interference case in Fulton County, Ga., might be delayed until 2029, according to a Trump lawyer.

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