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Trump defends presidential immunity, even for assassinating political rivals (english.elpais.com)

submitted 10 months ago by tardigrada@beehaw.org to c/usnews@beehaw.org

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Judge Florence Pan put Trumps's lawyer John Sauer on the spot: she asked him whether, absent an impeachment conviction, a president could be prosecuted for selling nuclear secrets, pardoning criminals, or ordering a special commando to assassinate a political rival.

"He would have to be and would be quickly impeached and convicted [by the Senate] before criminal prosecution,” the lawyer replied. The judge persisted, but the lawyer still maintained the argument that a president could not be tried without being impeached and convicted. “So, your answer is no?” the judge insisted. “It’s a hypothetical yes,” the lawyer replied.

Trump's lawyer John Sauer’s argument echoes that of another Trump lawyer before a New York court in 2019, in which he said the president could not be investigated or prosecuted while in the White House, even for shooting someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue; in 2016, Trump himself insisted that he could do so and not lose votes.

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[–] nxdefiant@startrek.website 15 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Does he really want a judge to rule that a sitting president can assassinate political rivals?

[–] Arghblarg@lemmy.ca 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Democrats really need to seize onto this -- start musing publically and loudly about who Biden should imprison first, without trial, once Trump hands him the power to do so!

Hypothetically, of course /s

[–] nxdefiant@startrek.website 5 points 10 months ago

Exactly, I don't think he's thought this through 🤣