04/24/2024

SCOTUS to Decide Whether Donald Trump can be Criminally Prosecuted

The case is set to be heard on the final day of the court’s argument calendar

Donald Trump is currently a criminal defendant in a New York state trial. But on Thursday, his lawyers will argue before the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) that as a former president he is largely immune from criminal prosecution, setting the stage for one of the most pivotal decisions on presidential power in a generation.

The case, Trump v. United States, set to be heard on the final day of the court's argument calendar, will determine whether and how quickly Trump faces trial in Washington, D.C. for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Lower courts have already rejected Trump’s sweeping assertion of immunity from prosecution, but he appealed to the Supreme Court in a bid to prevent the trial from going ahead as scheduled.

At the heart of the matter lies a fundamental yet unresolved legal question: does a former President enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office? Trump's legal team contends that his false claims of election fraud and attempts to pressure state officials and Vice President Mike Pence to undo the 2020 election results were official acts Trump undertook under his presidential authority and, thus, are shielded from criminal charges.

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.