Appeals Court Rejects Trump's Immunity Claim

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The Facts

  • The US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled on Tuesday that former Pres. Donald Trump cannot claim broad immunity from prosecution in the cases related to his actions following the 2020 election.

  • Trump has been seeking immunity in the case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith on charges of alleged criminal conduct following the election and leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol protests. While Trump says that he was acting out his role as executive following the election, shielding him from prosecution, the three-judge panel rejected his claims.


The Spin

Anti-Trump narrative

In yet another crushing blow to Donald Trump, the DC appeals court ruled that the former president’s claim of immunity in his election subversion case is utterly bogus. Trump is desperate to pull out any trick in the book to delay his numerous trials and pardon himself if he somehow wins November’s election. Everyone knows that Trump was not acting out any executive duties while trying to overturn the 2020 election, and he can only hope to stall his inevitable prosecution. Trump will face justice soon enough.

Pro-Trump narrative

While Tuesday’s ruling completely ignores 250 years of protection for former presidents, it's unsurprising given the political bend of the judges. If you go back throughout history, former presidents have been shielded from prosecution, as they should be. However, none of our norms and rules apply to Trump, who continues to be attacked and persecuted by the biased establishment. Hopefully, the Supreme Court puts an end to this charade, allowing the American people to elect their top choice: Trump.


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