Special Counsel asks SCOTUS to rule in Trump case
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – On Monday, Special counsel Jack Smith asked the Supreme Court to intervene on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted on charges he plotted to overturn the 2020 election results.
Trump’s defense lawyers appealed a federal court ruling that allowed the case to proceed. Most viewed the appeal as a delay tactic intended to disrupt the timing of the trial, currently set for March 4th.
Jack Smith and his team are hoping to skip the lengthy appeals court process and get the go-ahead from the Supreme Court directly.
“This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he has been impeached but not convicted before the criminal proceedings begin,” prosecutors wrote.
If the Supreme Court concurs with the federal court ruling, Trump will likely have to stand trial a day before Super Tuesday. The 91 felony counts charged against Trump so far have not affected his almost insurmountable lead in the Republican Presidential primary.
The Associated Press was used as a source in this story.