Trump is pushing his luck with judges after late Saturday legal filing: legal expert

Reacting to a late Saturday filing made by Donald Trump's lawyers aimed at getting the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to toss special counsel Jack Smith's criminal case related to the Jan. 6 insurrection, State Attorney for Palm Beach County Dave Aronberg called it a waste of time for the court that has the potential to anger the judges.

Speaking with MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart, the prosecutor immediately dubbed the filing, once again asserting presidential immunity, as "ridiculous."

As Politico reported Saturday night, "In a 71-page opening brief filed with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Trump’s attorneys said the prosecution’s charges primarily focus on his efforts to lobby state and federal officials to reverse the election results, actions that they claim were within Trump’s official responsibilities to ensure the 2020 election was conducted fairly."

That led Aronberg to tell the MSNBC host, "You know, I think now we know why Donald Trump didn't want the Supreme Court to weigh in on this yet. It's such a ridiculous argument. He knows he's going to lose and this is all about delay. The courts will throw coal in his stockings after reading these briefs."

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"He is essentially saying that once you are acquitted by the Senate, by a bunch of political cronies in the Senate, he will become a king — it's a permanent get out of jail free card," he continued. "That's not how any of this works."

"One thing judges don't like is to be told they have no power," he elaborated. "That is what Trump is telling the courts. 'Hey, you judges have no power over me. I can do what I want.' By the way, be careful what you ask for. If immunity like this, this absolute immunity applies to Trump, it would apply to Joe Biden. Joe Biden could say arrest Trump and then go through the impeachment and get acquitted and then the president for life. It's not so funny when it happens to you, right?"

"In his brief, he said that this is the only time in history a president has been charged for official acts," he added. "He's not being charged for official acts. He's been charged for allegedly criminal acts — it's a big difference. If he thinks he has a snowball's chance in hell of winning, the answer is no."

Watch below or at the link.

MSNBC 12 24 2023 08 01 57youtu.be