The News
Former President Donald Trump on Monday asked the Supreme Court to temporarily halt a ruling from a lower court that found he is not covered by presidential immunity in his 2020 federal election subversion case. His team asked for the pause as they ready a formal appeal.
Trump’s team said a trial would “radically disrupt” his campaign for reelection. But unless the high court issues a stay, proceedings in the criminal trial over his and others’ efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results will resume.
“Without immunity from criminal prosecution, the Presidency as we know it will cease to exist,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in a memo to the court.
Last week, a federal appeals court unanimously rejected Trump’s argument that he’s immune from prosecution for such crimes because he was president at the time they are alleged to have happened.
“For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant,” the court wrote. “But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution.”
