Trump Seeks Dismissal of Federal Election Case, Claiming Immunity

Page 1

TrumpSeeksDismissalofFederalElectionCase,ClaimingImmunity

DonaldTrumpʼslawyersaskedajudgetothrowoutchargesthatheconspiredtooverturnthe2020election,arguingthat apresidentcouldnotbecriminallyprosecutedforofficialacts.

LawyersforformerPresidentDonaldJ TrumpaskedajudgeonThursdaytothrowoutafederalindictmentaccusinghimof conspiringtooverturnthe2020electionandclaimedthatbecausethechargesrelatetoactionshetookaspresident,he shouldbe“absolutelyimmunefromprosecution.”

Therequesttodismisstheelectioninterferenceindictment,whichcameina52-pagebriefingfiledinFederalDistrictCourt inWashington,wasbreathtakinginitsscope.ItarguedthatMr.Trumpcouldnotbeheldaccountableincourtforanyactions hetookaspresident,evenafteragrandjuryhadreturnedcriminalchargesagainsthim

WhiletheJusticeDepartmenthaslongmaintainedapolicythatsittingpresidentscannotbeindicted,Mr.Trump’sbidto claimtotalimmunityfromprosecutionwasaremarkableattempttoextendtheprotectionsaffordedtothepresidencyinhis favor.

Hismotiontodismisswascertaintoresultinapitchedlegalbattlewithprosecutorsintheofficeofthespecialcounsel,Jack Smith,ifonlybecausetheideathatapresidentcannotbeprosecutedforactionsundertakeninhisofficialcapacityas commanderinchiefhasneverbeforebeentested.

Themotion,whichwillbeconsideredbyJudgeTanyaS.Chutkan,wasalsothefirst butlikelynotthelast attemptby Mr.Trump’slawyerstoattackthechargesintheelectioninterferencecasedirectly.

Untilnow,thelawyershavelargelywagedaseriesofunsuccessfulproceduralbattles,seeking,andfailing,topushbackthe trialuntil2026andtodisqualifyJudgeChutkan

Inhisfiling,JohnF.Lauro,alawyerforMr.Trump,immediatelysoughttoreframethecoreofMr.Smith’scase.Heargued thattheformerpresident’srepeatedliesthatwidespreadfraudhadmarredthevotecountandotherstepshetooktosubvert thenormalcourseofthedemocraticprocesswere,infact,“effortstoensureelectionintegrity.”

Thoseefforts,Mr.Lauroargued,were“attheheartof”Mr.Trump’s“officialresponsibilitiesaspresident”andsoshouldnot besubjecttocriminalcharges.

“Here,234yearsofunbrokenhistoricalpractice from1789until2023 providecompellingevidencethatthepowerto indictaformerpresidentforhisofficialactsdoesnotexist,”Mr Laurowrote “Noprosecutor,whetherstate,localorfederal, hasthisauthority;andnonehassoughttoexerciseituntilnow”

Overandoverinhismotion,Mr LaurosoughttoflipthestorytoldbytheindictmentandportraythevariousstepsthatMr Trumptooktosubverttheelectionasofficialactsdesignedtoprotectitsintegrity

JohnF.Lauro,alawyerforMr.Trump,arguedthatthechargesinafederalindictment wererelatedtoMr Trump’sactionswhilepresident,whichshouldbe“absolutely immunefromprosecution.” JimLoScalzo/EPA,viaShutterstock

Theindictmentdetailed,forexample,howMr TrumptriedtoenlisttheJusticeDepartmentinvalidatinghisclaimsoffraud Itsetoutevidenceofhispressuringstatelawmakerstodraftfalseslatesofelectorssayinghehadwonstatesheactually lost Anditdocumentedhowhewagedacampaigntopersuadehisownvicepresident,MikePence,tounilaterallydeclare himthevictorintheraceduringacertificationattheCapitolonJan 6,2021

Butalloftheseactions,Mr.Laurowrote,fellwithinthescopeofMr.Trump’s“officialduties”aspresidentandsowere “immunefromcriminalprosecution.”

OnlyahandfulofprecedentsexistthatcouldhelpguideJudgeChutkaninmakingadecisionaboutsuchbroadclaimsof immunity,andnoneareperfectlyonpoint.

In1982,theSupremeCourtruledbya5-to-4marginthatformerPresidentRichardM.Nixonwasabsolutelyimmunefroma civilsuitarisingfromhisofficialactions.ButwhileMr.Laurocitedthatcase,Nixonv.Fitzgerald,extensivelyinhisfiling,the reasoninginitsmajorityopiniondidnotaddresswhetherpresidentialactionscouldbeprosecutedascrimes.

BeforehewasappointedasMr Trump’sfinalattorneygeneral,WilliamP Barrwroteanapparentlyunsolicitedmemo claimingthatpresidentscouldnotbechargedwithcrimesforabusingtheirofficialpowers.

ThememowasultimatelygiventothelawyersdefendingMr.TrumpintheinvestigationintoRussianelectioninterference ledbythespecialcounsel,RobertS.MuellerIII.Init,Mr.BarrconcludedthatMr.Muellershouldnotbepermittedto investigateMr Trumpforobstructionofjustice

Thissummer,theJusticeDepartmentannounceditwouldnolongerarguethatMr.Trump’sderogatorystatementsaboutthe writerE.JeanCarrollweremadeaspartofhisofficialdutiesaspresident.Afewmonthsearlier,Ms.Carrollhadwon$5 millionindamagesinatrialaccusingMr.Trumpofsexualabuseanddefamationovercommentshemadeafterheleftthe WhiteHouse.Sheisnowtryingtopushforwardaseparatelawsuitovercommentsthathemadewhilepresident.

Lastmonth,ajudgeinAtlantarejectedanattemptbyMarkMeadows,Mr.Trump’sformerWhiteHousechiefofstaff,to moveacaseaccusinghimandothers,includingMr.Trump,oftamperingwiththeelectioninGeorgiafromstatecourtto federalcourt.

Mr.Meadowshadalsosoughttoclaimimmunityagainstthecharges.Butthejudgeoverseeingthecaseruledthatthesteps hetookinhelpingMr.TrumpoverturntheelectionwerenotpartofhisofficialWhiteHouseduties,butwereinsteadpolitical effortstohelpMr.Trumpgetre-elected.

AlanRozenshtein,aformerJusticeDepartmentofficialwhoteachesattheUniversityofMinnesotaLawSchool,saidthekey questionfacingJudgeChutkanwouldbewhethertoacceptMr Trump’sattempttoreframetheaccusationsaspresidential actsthatwerebeyondthescopeofprosecution.

Itwasashrewdlegalgambit,Mr.Rozenshteinsaid,becauseitplayedoffalegitimatepresidentialdutyunderthe Constitution:tofaithfullyexecutefederallaw.

“Hewilllose,”Mr.Rozenshteinsaid.“Butheismakingthecorrectconceptualargument.”

AlanFeuercoversextremismandpoliticalviolenceforTheNewYorkTimes,focusingonthecriminalcasesinvolvingtheJan.6attackontheCapitolandagainst formerPresidentDonaldJ Trump MoreaboutAlanFeuer

CharlieSavagewritesaboutnationalsecurityandlegalpolicy.Hehasbeenajournalistformorethantwodecades. MoreaboutCharlieSavage

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.