Supreme Court: No Fast-Tracking Trump’s Immunity Claim

In a major setback for President Trump, the United States Supreme Court has denied his motion to expedite a ruling on his immunity from prosecution. This decision has put an obstacle in the way of Trump’s attempt to avoid criminal prosecution while president. The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling was issued yesterday, with Chief Justice John Roberts siding with the other four justices in the majority. This has been a long-running legal battle for President Trump, who has argued that he is immune from criminal prosecution while in office. The four Justices in the majority wrote in their opinion that the “immunity claimed by the President, if accepted, would constitute an absolute protection not only for the President but potentially for other high government officials.” This opinion has been viewed as a blow to Trump’s legal team, which had argued that the President is not subject to normal criminal proceedings while in office. The opinion was signed off on by Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. They argued that such a decision should not be made without proper legal proceedings and evidentiary hearings. In a dissent, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that the Supreme Court should grant Trump’s motion and expedite a ruling on the issue. He argued that such a ruling would enable final resolution of this issue and provide necessary clarity. The ruling now means that the dispute over Trump’s immunity claim will not be resolved while he is still in office, and the matter will most likely be left for the new President to decide. It also underlines the fact that President Trump will not be able to use legal means to avoid potential criminal proceedings if he loses the election. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court’s decision is a clear sign that it is unwilling to grant the President any special treatment when it comes to legal immunity. This means that if the President is charged with a criminal offense, he will have to face prosecution like any other U.S. citizen.