We live in times where a lot of nutty stuff happens. So often, in fact, it is really hard to keep track. I have been distracted posting other stuff the last couple days but really have not stopped thinking about this since I heard it. Personally, I think it is a huge, absolutely gigantic story but you guys be the judge.
In Trump's "absolute immunity" case that is before the appeals court, one of the judges asked Trump's lawyer if a president sent a special forces team, Seal Team 6, to kill his political rival in an election, and they did, could the president be prosecuted for doing this? Would he be subject to criminal prosecution for that?
The lawyer answered, that if the president was impeached for it successfully, meaning the House impeached him and then Senate voted to impeach as well then yes, he could be prosecuted for ordering the killing his rival politician. If the impeachment failed, meaning the House impeached but the Senate voted not to impeach, then no, he could not be prosecuted and would have absolute immunity.
The argument from Trump's lawyer was that the only way a president could be subjected to criminal prosecution is if the House and Senate impeached him first and then this opens him up to prosecution.
The DOJ lawyer then stated that meant if a president ordered his rival killed, or anyone killed, and then resigned before impeachment proceedings could be held, he could not be prosecuted. Trump's lawyer stood by that and said yes, if he resigns he can't be prosecuted. Trump's lawyers held that the only way a president can be criminally prosecuted is if he is impeached by the House and the Senate first.
By this standard, Joe Biden could have Donald Trump killed tomorrow and it would not be a crime UNLESS both the House and Senate impeached him for it. If they said they were going to impeach him for it but Biden resigned before that could happen...he still would have "absolute immunity" and he could not be prosecuted for killing Trump.
This is probably the most dangerous and insane argument I have ever heard and it is being made by lawyers for a former president. This means that if Trump was reelected he believes he could kill his political rivals, Biden, Obama, Clinton, whomever, and he has absolute immunity in doing so.
Trump believes he can do this. He believes it AND his lawyers have now argued it in a federal court. He is likely to lose this argument but this is the argument he would then take to the Supreme Court on appeal and if the Supreme Court ruled that argument was valid...well...that means that if Trump is reelected, he can kill anybody that runs against him. Anyone. He can kill any person in the United States for any reason he wants and he is free to do so with absolute immunity.
Obviously, that means he can commit any crime with absolute immunity as murder, killing your political rivals, is probably the most extreme crime he could commit.
This really happened, it is being decided in our federal courts, it will go to the Supreme Court when Trump loses, as he likely will, in this appeals court.
Amazing that anybody would continue to back Trump and elected Republicans should come out and call that argument Trump and his lawyers are making the total abomination it is.
