©(Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
Donald Trump appeared in a Washington court on Tuesday, to assert that, as a former US President, he should be shielded from prosecution regarding allegations that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election.
Donald Trump arrived in a Washington court Tuesday to argue that, as a former US president, he should be immune from prosecution on charges that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election.
The 77-year-old Trump arrived in a motorcade to attend an appeals court hearing at a federal courthouse just blocks away from the US Capitol. The courthouse was stormed by his supporters on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power to election winner Joe Biden.
Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is scheduled to go on trial in Washington on March 4 on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction linked to his efforts to upend the 2020 vote.
Trump's attorneys have sought to quash the election interference charges with the novel argument that a former president enjoys "absolute immunity" and cannot be prosecuted for actions he took while in the White House.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is to preside over the historic trial, rejected the immunity claim last month, saying an ex-president does not have a "lifelong 'get-out-of-jail-free' pass."
Trump appealed that decision, and a three-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit was hearing oral arguments in the case on Tuesday. Trump was not actually required to attend the hearing.
His presence—just days before the Republican presidential primary contests kick off in Iowa—underlined his goal of making his fight against multiple criminal prosecutions part of his political campaign.
[readmore url="https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/world/214266"]
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform ahead of Tuesday's hearing, warned that a rejection of his immunity defense could lead to indictments of Biden if he returns to power.
The special counsel has been trying to keep the March start date for Trump's trial on track. Lawyers for the former president have sought repeatedly to delay it until after the November 2024 election, which is widely expected to be a rematch between Trump and Biden.
The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, including three justices nominated by Trump, denied the special counsel's request to immediately hear the case.
The DC appeals court decision—wherever it lands—is nonetheless likely to wind up with the nation's highest court eventually.
Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Trump's appeal of a ruling by Colorado's highest court that would keep him off the presidential primary ballot in the western state.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
Donald Trump arrived in a Washington court Tuesday to argue that, as a former US president, he should be immune from prosecution on charges that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election.
The 77-year-old Trump arrived in a motorcade to attend an appeals court hearing at a federal courthouse just blocks away from the US Capitol. The courthouse was stormed by his supporters on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power to election winner Joe Biden.
Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is scheduled to go on trial in Washington on March 4 on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction linked to his efforts to upend the 2020 vote.
Trump's attorneys have sought to quash the election interference charges with the novel argument that a former president enjoys "absolute immunity" and cannot be prosecuted for actions he took while in the White House.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is to preside over the historic trial, rejected the immunity claim last month, saying an ex-president does not have a "lifelong 'get-out-of-jail-free' pass."
Trump appealed that decision, and a three-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit was hearing oral arguments in the case on Tuesday. Trump was not actually required to attend the hearing.
His presence—just days before the Republican presidential primary contests kick off in Iowa—underlined his goal of making his fight against multiple criminal prosecutions part of his political campaign.
[readmore url="https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/world/214266"]
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform ahead of Tuesday's hearing, warned that a rejection of his immunity defense could lead to indictments of Biden if he returns to power.
The special counsel has been trying to keep the March start date for Trump's trial on track. Lawyers for the former president have sought repeatedly to delay it until after the November 2024 election, which is widely expected to be a rematch between Trump and Biden.
The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, including three justices nominated by Trump, denied the special counsel's request to immediately hear the case.
The DC appeals court decision—wherever it lands—is nonetheless likely to wind up with the nation's highest court eventually.
Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Trump's appeal of a ruling by Colorado's highest court that would keep him off the presidential primary ballot in the western state.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
This Is Beirut
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