CTTO/Inquirer.net
Washington, D.C. — The US Supreme Court is set to deliver a highly anticipated ruling on Monday, determining whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution. This decision, described as a “ruling for the ages,” will significantly impact whether Trump’s trial for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results can proceed before the upcoming presidential election, where he is the Republican candidate.
The ruling is expected to reject Trump’s claim for absolute immunity. However, the decision’s implications are profound, potentially affecting the timing of his trial amid his campaign for a rematch with President Joe Biden.
“We are writing a rule for the ages,” stated conservative justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee, during the April arguments.
“This case has huge implications for the presidency, for the future of the presidency, for the future of the country,” added justice Brett Kavanaugh, another Trump appointee.
Initially, Trump’s trial date for the election case was set for March 4, well ahead of the November election. However, the Supreme Court agreed in February to hear his argument for presidential immunity, delaying the case as they deliberated in April. This has already pushed back the trial significantly.
The court is unlikely to grant Trump complete immunity, as justices appeared skeptical of his claims during the April hearings. Some justices questioned whether such immunity would allow a president to “commit crimes with abandon.”
However, the scope and language of the decision could still delay the trial further, reducing the likelihood that Trump will face prosecution before the November 5 election. The justices might remand the case to lower courts to determine which allegations against Trump pertain to official acts and could thus be immune from prosecution. This would further postpone the trial, requiring months of preparation to resume.
Trump, facing four criminal cases, has been actively seeking to delay trials until after the election. On May 30, a New York court convicted Trump on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records related to a sex scandal cover-up during the 2016 presidential campaign, making him the first former US president ever convicted of a crime. His sentencing is scheduled for July 11.
Despite many legal experts considering the New York hush money case the weakest of the four, it is likely the only one to go to trial before the election. Trump’s lawyers have successfully delayed the other three trials, which involve his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and his possession of top-secret documents at his Florida residence.