The Supreme Court ruled Monday that Donald Trump and former presidents are entitled to have immunity for acts within their Constitutional authority while in office — but not unofficial acts.
The ruling could have a major impact on Trump's pending court cases ahead of the 2024 election.
What Happened: The Supreme Court issued a ruling on the Trump immunity claim, one of several key court cases for which it was set to deliver a ruling before the court heads into recess until an expected return in October.
"A former president is entitled to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his ‘conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority,'" the Supreme Court said Monday, as reported by the Washington Post.
The justices voted 6-3 on the case, with the conservative majority voting in favor of immunity. Chief Justice John Roberts issued the majority opinion.
"This case poses a question of lasting significance: When may a former president be prosecuted for official acts taken during his Presidency?" Roberts said.
"The President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is office. The President is not above the law."
The ruling finds the president cannot be prosecuted for some items while serving in the White House.
Justice Sonia Sotomayer issued the dissenting opinion Monday.
“Today’s decision to grant former Presidents criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the Presidency,” Sotomayer said, as reported by NBC News. “It makes a mockery of the principle, foundation to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law.”
Sotoamyer said the indictments against Trump show a “stark portrait of a President desperate to stay in power.”
Monday's ruling means cases against Trump related to his duties while president may not be resolved for several months, most likely coming after the 2024 election.
The ruling now puts into question whether Trump will pardon himself if he wins re-election.
A federal appeals court previously ruled against Trump's immunity claim for acts committed while he was president of the United States.
Among the cases Trump currently faces includes one connected to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which occurred while he was still in office. Trump was charged with conspiring to overturn the results of the election, spreading claims about voter fraud known to be false and pressuring officials to block President Joe Biden‘s win.
Special counsel Jack Smith said that if Trump is entitled to some level of immunity, a trial against the former president could still take place.
"At the core of the charged conspiracies is a private scheme with private actors to achieve a private end: petitioner's efforts to remain in power by fraud," Smith's office wrote, as shared by the Washington Post.
Ahead of the ruling, Trump shared his thoughts on the immunity ruling in a pre-taped interview that aired Monday morning.
"The immunity statement that's coming out, that is going to be very interesting to see what happens, but I think it has a bigger impact on Joe Biden than it has on me, actually," Trump said.
The comment comes as Trump has previously suggested that he could prosecute Biden and other political enemies if he is returns to the White House.
Related Link: Donald Trump Will Still Run For President If Convicted, And Right Now That’s Perfectly Legal
Why It's Important: Monday's ruling comes less than two months after Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsified business records. Trump awaits sentencing for the case on July 11, where a judge will determine whether he is fined and receives probation and/or prison time.
Trump has been indicted multiple times and awaits several trials, but many are expected to be delayed until after the 2024 presidential election.
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was among the political voices who spoke out on the Trump immunity claim
On Sunday, Pelosi said she hoped the Supreme Court would rule against Trump's claim.
"If the court tomorrow says that the former president is above the law, they will have done a grave disservice to justice in our country," Pelosi said, as reported by NBC News.
Pelosi said she hoped that the Supreme Court showed allegiance to "their oath of office."
"Just because you're president doesn't mean you're immune from prosecution if you break the law."
DJT Price Action: Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group DJT are up 2% to $33.47 on Monday. The stock typically is volatile on major news items for Trump.
Photo via Shutterstock.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
