TrumpSeeksDismissalofFederalElectionCase,ClaimingImmunity
DonaldTrumpʼslawyersaskedajudgetothrowoutchargesthatheconspiredtooverturnthe2020election,arguingthat apresidentcouldnotbecriminallyprosecutedforofficialacts.
ByAlanFeuerandCharlieSavage Oct.5,2023LawyersforformerPresidentDonaldJ 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