The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review former President Donald Trump’s claim of immunity concerning his actions during the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, a decision that has drawn criticism from lawmakers.
What Happened: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) voiced his disapproval of the Supreme Court’s decision to entertain Trump’s argument that he cannot be prosecuted for his actions during the Capitol riots due to his presidential status at the time, reported The Hill.
In an interview on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki,” Raskin said, “This was an obvious case not to take up, and just let the D.C. Circuit Court ruling stand.” He stressed that the U.S. is not a monarchy, and the president’s primary duty is to ensure the laws are faithfully executed, not violated for personal gain.
“We don't have a king here. We had a revolution against a king, and the Constitution is written so that [the] president's main job is to take care [that] the laws are faithfully executed, not faithfully violated in his own interest,” said Raskin, according to the report.
The lower court had previously ruled that Trump is not immune, with the Supreme Court now set to hear the case in April. This move further postpones Trump’s trial on charges of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Raskin attributed the decision to the Supreme Court justices nominated by Trump and other Republican-nominated justices. He criticized the court for representing the choices of minority presidents and attempting to overturn established precedents.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) also expressed disappointment with the decision, stating that it would delay the resolution of these cases by several months.
Why It Matters: This development follows a series of events that began with Trump’s reported strategy to amplify presidential immunity to King George’s levels.
The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case temporarily halts Trump’s Jan. 6 criminal trial proceedings, a move that could significantly impact his attempts to overturn the 2020 election loss, as reported by Benzinga in February.
This decision comes despite special counsel Jack Smith’s appeal to the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court's ruling that denies Trump immunity from prosecution.
The lower court had ruled that Trump is not immune from prosecution for crimes he may have committed while in office.
Photo by Phil Pasquini on Shutterstock
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