President Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to stay its immunity ruling in the Jan. 6 Jack Smith case in Washington.
Last week, a federal appeals court filled with Biden judges denied Trump immunity in the Jan. 6 D.C. case of special counsel Jack Smith.
The three-judge panel of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Trump’s immunity claims: Florence Pan (Biden appointee), Michelle Childs (Biden appointee), and Karen Henderson (George W. Bush appointee).
“We balanced former President Trump’s stated interests in executive immunity with vital public interests favoring the continuation of this prosecution,” the three-judge panel wrote.
“We conclude that ‘public policy concerns, especially as illuminated by our history and the structure of our government’ compel us to reject his request for immunity in this case,” they wrote.
Trump’s lawyers have argued that Trump is immune from federal prosecution for alleged “crimes” committed while he was president of the United States.
“In 234 years of American history, no president has ever been criminally prosecuted for his official acts. Until 19 days ago, no court had ever questioned whether immunity from such prosecution existed,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in filings last month, according to CBS News. “To date, no appeals court has dealt with this. The question ranks among the most complex, intricate and of great importance that this Court will be called upon to decide.”
On January 9, a three-judge panel heard oral arguments and appeared skeptical of Trump’s immunity claims: One judge, appointed by Biden, asked attorney John Sauer whether Trump would be prosecuted if he ordered the SEAL Team 6 to assassinate his political rivals.
Meanwhile, the March 4 trial date for Jack Smith’s DC case has been postponed.
Earlier this month Judge Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee who is overseeing Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 case against Trump in Washington, formally postponed the trial.
Judge Chutkan in an order postponed the trial and told potential jurors who had been asked to fill out a pre-trial questionnaire not to appear in court.
Meanwhile in Florida….
Judge Cannon, the Trump appointee who is overseeing the Jack Smith classified documents case in Florida, will hold a hearing on March 1 to get an update on the status of the special prosecutor’s DC case.
Cannon suggested that the May 20 trial date in the classified documents case will be postponed if the special prosecutor fails to resolve the issue of Trump’s immunity in a timely manner.
Last week President Trump argued that a US president should have full immunity in order to function properly.
“A President of the United States must have full immunity in order to function properly and do what needs to be done for the good of our country. A nation-destroying ruling like this cannot be allowed to remain in place. If not overturned, as it should be, this decision would gravely damage not only the Presidency, but the life, breath and success of our country. A President will be afraid to act for fear of fierce punishment from the opposing party after leaving office. I know this from personal experience because I’m living it right now. He will become a political weapon used for election interference. Our elections will also be corrupt and under siege. So bad and so dangerous for our nation. SAVE PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY!” Trump said this on Truth Social.