Oh my gosh! The Supreme Court seems to have accidentally given Donald Trump a victory weeks after he was found guilty on 34 counts. For the first time, the court ruled that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, according to the AP.
RELATED: Donald Trump found guilty on 34 charges in New York hush money trial
Since Trump’s conviction, there have been many questions about his eligibility to run for the White House. So that means a delay in the criminal case in Washington against Donald Trump on charges that he conspired to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat. He is unlikely to be convicted before the November election.
More details on Supreme Court’s immunity ruling
The court’s conservative majority won in a 6-3 decision. Noting that Donald Trump had appointed three justices to the bench, the court’s decision highlights how judges have been thrust into an influential role in the November presidential election.
They previously rejected efforts to bar Trump from voting because of his actions after the 2020 election. Last week, the court also limited the obstruction charge Trump faced and used against hundreds of his supporters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“Under our constitutional structure of separate powers, the nature of presidential power affords a former president absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for acts within his constitutional and discretionary authority,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court. “And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity for all of his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts.”
The chief justice stressed that the president is “not above the law.” But in a scathing dissent for the court’s three liberal justices, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote: “In all official uses of power, the President is now king above the law.”
Donald Trump reacts to the ruling
Trump wasted no time in celebrating the news. On Monday, he posted on his social media platform Truth in all caps.
“BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”
President Joe Biden’s campaign said in a statement that the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling “does not change the facts” of the events of January 6.
Under Monday’s decision, a former president can be prosecuted for accepting bribes, but prosecutors cannot refer to official acts, appointments, in their cases.
The task of figuring out how to proceed will fall to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who will preside over Trump’s trial. Before the Supreme Court got involved, a trial judge and a three-judge appeals panel unanimously ruled that Trump could be prosecuted for actions he took while in the White House and before January 6.
Chutkan ruled against Trump’s request for immunity in December. In his ruling, Chutkan said the president’s office “does not grant a lifetime ‘get out of jail free’ pass.”
More on Trump’s latest moves
The former president was also in the news for his first presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden. The presidential rivals faced off in a fierce exchange, filled with personal insults and questions about who had the support of the people and who gave the better debate answers.
If you hear someone talk about “Black Jobs,” they’re quoting one of the many viral moments of the debate.
RELATED: Ten Toes! Vice President Kamala Harris and Barack Obama weigh in on President Biden’s debate performance (WATCH)
Associated Press staff writer Mark Sherman contributed to this report.
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