United States Democratic Congressman Joe Morelle announced plans to challenge the Supreme Court’s decision on former President Donald Trump’s immunity claims. He aims to introduce a constitutional amendment to ensure no president is above the law, countering the ruling that grants former presidents
United States Democratic Congressman Joe Morelle announced his intention to challenge this week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding former President Donald Trump’s immunity claims.
He said “I am introducing a constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Court’s catastrophic decision and ensure no president is above the law. This amendment will do what they failed to do — prioritize our democracy. The Supreme Court decision will cause a seismic shift in the powers of the presidency unless we take immediate action to ensure accountability, integrity, and justice prevail.”
The Supreme Court recently ruled that former US presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for actions taken within their constitutional duties. This decision allows Donald Trump to challenge a federal indictment accusing him of conspiring to undermine the 2020 elections.
The case focused on the former president’s actions leading up to and on January 2021, when supporters of Donald Trump gathered outside the US Capitol as Congress was certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. It escalated tensions, as some protesters breached the Capitol, causing property damage, clashes with law enforcement, and a significant delay in the certification process. These events sparked widespread concerns about the security of democratic processes in the US and led to multiple prosecutions, including another case recently ruled on by the Supreme Court.
In August 2023, Trump was indicted on four counts related to the 2020 elections and the events leading up to January. He was accused of conspiring to overturn the election results by pressuring electoral officials in swing states, pressuring federal officials to cast doubt on the vote’s legitimacy, and ultimately “exploiting” his supporters who had gathered in Washington DC on January 6 by intensifying efforts to spread false claims of election fraud and convincing Members of Congress to delay the further certification.
Donald Trump pleaded not guilty and filed a motion to dismiss the charges, citing presidential immunity. He petitioned the Supreme Court to clarify whether the doctrine of absolute presidential immunity protects a former president from criminal prosecution for actions taken on the “outer perimeter” of their official duties.
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