Supreme Court to hear Trump immunity arguments Thursday
- Trump is arguing he should be immune from criminal prosecution
- His team claims he has blanket immunity for all actions while in office
- The former president is facing four criminal trials
FILE – Supporters of Donald Trump participate in a rally in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Tuesday, April 16, 2024, over the charge of obstruction of an official proceeding that has been brought against 330 people, according to the Justice Department. The charge refers to the disruption of Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory over former President Trump. Trump faces two obstruction charges. Next week, the justices will weigh whether Trump can be prosecuted at all for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
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(NewsNation) — The Supreme Court will hear arguments in former President Donald Trump’s immunity case on Thursday, the final arguments of the current session.
The case could have a significant impact on the multiple criminal trials Trump is facing as he argues he should have immunity from his actions involving the results of the 2020 election.
Two of the four cases against Trump have to do with alleged election interference, a federal case being heard in a D.C. court and a state case brought against him in Georgia. The arguments center around the federal case but a ruling would also apply to the state case.
A ruling would also impact the second federal case Trump is involved in, which has to do with the improper retention and storage of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after his presidency.
A ruling would also reach beyond Trump, setting the stage for how future presidents could face consequences for actions undertaken while in office. Trump’s team is arguing for broad immunity, saying it would have a chilling effect on presidential actions for future leaders if presidents could face charges without being impeached in the House and convicted in the Senate.
Trump was impeached by the House twice but was acquitted in the Senate both times. His argument for total immunity includes the suggestion that if the cases against him are allowed to go forward, it would open the door for a cycle of partisan prosecutions of former presidents.
Special Prosecutor Jack Smith argues that while presidents are not prosecuted while in office because it would interfere with governing, that does not apply after their term is over. He is also arguing that Trump’s actions are unique in the history of presidential actions and that granting immunity would undermine the need for presidents to uphold the law.
Trump is the first president to face criminal charges after his time in office, posing legal questions that have not previously been addressed by the courts.
As the Court prepares to hear arguments in the case, some argue Trump has already won in his goal of delaying trials in hopes they will not occur until after the November 2024 election.
Meanwhile, the former president is appearing in another courtroom as the New York state hush money case against him begins. He is charged with falsifying business records in connection with payments to cover up an affair he had with adult film actress Stormy Daniels.