The former US president is accused of participating in the assault on the Capitol. His immunity should not apply in this regard. He wants to take more action against this.
Donald Trump in Des Moines, Iowa, in January Photo: Evelyn Hochstein/Reuters
WASHINGTON rtr | Former US President Donald Trump appealed to the US Supreme Court in a dispute over his legal immunity. Supreme Court justices should stay a federal appeals court's ruling that he is not protected from lawsuits related to the assault on the Capitol, sources said Monday.
Initially there was no opinion from the Supreme Court. On February 6, the lower federal appeals court unanimously rejected the argument that Trump could not be prosecuted because the allegations related to his duties as head of state.
If appealed to the Supreme Court, the main process could drag on until after the November elections. If Trump wins, he could pardon himself. Trump is accused of participating in his supporters' attempt to prevent the transfer of power to Democratic election winner Joe Biden by storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
He has denied the allegations and said the office's immunity protects him. His lawyers have argued that, under the Constitution, only Congress can prosecute the president. Trump was impeached twice by the House of Representatives. In both cases, the Senate, then dominated by his supporters, rejected the procedure.