Hearing on immunity and obstruction charges related to ‘2020 election overthrow’
Civil lawsuit compensation and fines may also be heard
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that there was no problem with former President Donald Trump’s qualifications to run for president, and although former President Trump has passed a critical juncture, it is expected to be a variable in the future presidential election depending on the results of other trials pending before the Supreme Court.
According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 4th (local time), federal Supreme Court justices agreed last week to hear former President Trump’s immunity claim related to his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
The Federal Supreme Court plans to hold arguments on this case at the end of next month, and will consider whether and the scope of the president’s immunity from prosecution for things he did while performing his official duties.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity will also have an immediate impact on the timing of former President Trump’s election interference trial. According to the hearing schedule set by the Supreme Court justices, it has become virtually impossible for a decision on election interference cases to be made before September.
The Federal Supreme Court is also considering the possibility of enforcing obstruction charges related to election overturning. Obstruction is the core of two of the four charges of former President Trump being charged with subverting the election indicted in Washington in August last year.
Former President Trump is accused of conspiring to storm the January 6th Congress and actually committing obstruction, and former President Trump’s team is arguing that the obstruction law was inappropriately expanded to cover similar crimes that occurred at the Capitol.
It is pointed out that the law was passed as part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to prevent corporate misconduct by prohibiting document destruction and witness tampering.
If the Supreme Court agrees that the obstruction law was interpreted too broadly, it is expected to favor former President Trump in future criminal trials. It is expected that this will have a significant impact on the sentences for those involved in the intrusion.
Some experts believe there is a possibility that former President Trump may ask the Supreme Court to review some of the money judgments he was ordered to pay in recent civil lawsuits. However, this is expected to be difficult as it requires finding and raising constitutional issues.
Former President Trump was assessed $18.3 million in compensation and $65 million in punitive damages in a defamation case against author Gene E. Carroll, a sexual harassment victim, and was sentenced to a fine of approximately $450 million for inflating real estate values.
The Federal Supreme Court unanimously decided on this day to overturn the Colorado Supreme Court ruling that disqualified former President Trump from running for president.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.