'Breathtaking': Watergate prosecutor stunned by Trump's argument for presidential immunity
December 30, 2023
The extent to which Donald Trump claims to have immunity from criminal charges is truly "breathtaking," a former Watergate prosecutor said Saturday.
Assistant Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks appeared on MSNBC's American Voices with Alicia Menendez, where she was asked about how likely it is that Trump will have his election subversion charges dismissed due to presidential immunity findings.
"Not at all. It's a simple answer," she said. "I believe the law and the facts in this case align and make it very clear that he has violated the law, that he does not have immunity."
Wine-Banks added that "the immunity request in its breadth is breathtaking."
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"It's risible to think anyone could claim there was no criminal conduct involved in what is clearly political activity," she said. "He was acting as a candidate, not as the president. And even if he were acting as the president, there are actions I believe would constitute crimes that would be prosecutable even though done while he was president."
The host also asked her about the 14th Amendment decisions against Trump in Maine and Colorado, to which Wine-Banks said the Supreme Court needs to weigh in to avoid a "patchwork" of state ballot rulings.