(Washington) The Supreme Court of the United States agreed on Wednesday to take up the question of criminal immunity invoked by Donald Trump as former president and to examine it at the end of April.
Targeted by four separate criminal charges, the big favorite in the Republican primaries for the November presidential election is seeking through his multiple appeals to go to trial as late as possible, in any case after the vote.
A federal appeals court dismissed the criminal immunity invoked by the former Republican president on February 6, reopening the way for his trial in Washington for attempting to illegally reverse the results of the 2020 election.
PHOTO JACQUELYN MARTIN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The United States Supreme Court building, Washington
All procedural acts in this case had been suspended due to the appeal, leading Judge Tanya Chutkan, who will preside over the proceedings, to announce the postponement of the trial, initially scheduled for March 4.
Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on February 12 to suspend the entry into force of the appeal decision, which would have made it possible to set a new date for the start of the trial.
Special prosecutor Jack Smith, who is investigating the case, had on the contrary urged the Supreme Court to reject this request for suspension.
He also recommended that she not take up the issue, but if she ever did, to set an accelerated timetable so that, in the event of confirmation of the rejection of Donald Trump’s criminal immunity, “the trial can be held with reduced additional time.
PHOTO JONATHAN ERNST, REUTERS ARCHIVES
Special Prosecutor Jack Smith
In its decision on Wednesday, the Supreme Court partly satisfied Donald Trump by not allowing the appeal decision to come into force until it had ruled itself.
By scheduling the debates for “the week of April 22”, she on the other hand grants the special prosecutor’s request for an early deadline.
In his written arguments, Jack Smith underlined the “unique national importance of this criminal case”, in which a former president is “criminally prosecuted for having attempted to remain in power by preventing the legitimate winner of the election from taking his functions”.
Donald Trump’s defense claims “absolute immunity” for his actions committed while he was in the White House.
“For the purposes of this criminal case, former President Trump has become Citizen Trump, with the same protections as any other defendant. But any immunity relating to the executive power, which could have protected him when he was president in office, no longer protects him against these prosecutions,” wrote the three appeal judges in their unanimous decision, confirming that pronounced in December at first proceeding by Judge Chutkan.
If he were elected again, Donald Trump could, once inaugurated in January 2025, order an end to federal proceedings against him.