The Democrats’ reaction to the presidential-immunity ruling has been typically hysterical.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump and other former presidents are immune from prosecution for alleged crimes committed as part of their official duties as president. Delivered on Monday this week, the ruling has dealt a near fatal blow to the attempt to prosecute Trump for trying to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election.
As the court put it, a president cannot be prosecuted for things he did as part of his role as president, and no evidence that relates to his role can be used in any trial against him.
This ruling has stripped away key parts of the case against Trump over his alleged attempts at ‘election obstruction’, including any involvement in the ‘January 6’ riots. In particular, Trump’s attempts to pressure Justice Department officials to open investigations into electoral fraud – which included threats to fire the then attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, and the then acting deputy attorney general, Richard Donoghue – are now immune from prosecution, because overseeing the Justice Department is a core function of the president.
Likewise, the allegations that Trump pressured his vice-president, Mike Pence, to reject electoral votes for Joe Biden in Congress on 6 January 2021 are no longer viable. That’s because discussions about vice-presidential responsibilities are also part of the role of president.
Prosecuting Trump for electoral subversion now looks very difficult.
The ruling could also spell the end of other cases against him.
