'Dead on arrival': Legal expert shows why Trump's immunity defense was always doomed
Former President Donald Trump's effort to claim "presidential immunity" from criminal prosecution was always destined to fail, former prosecutor A. Scott Bolden argued on MSNBC's "All In" on Friday.
This comes after U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan tossed out his argument and denied his bid to end the 2020 election indictment brought by special counsel Jack Smith — just hours after a federal appeals court similarly found he wasn't exempt from civil suits brought by Capitol Police and members of Congress claiming he endangered their lives by inciting the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
"Criminal law is your area of expertise," said anchor Chris Hayes. "This motion by Trump was always seen as his best attempt, basically, to not face trial ... the main claim that he mixes as president, even at the, quote, 'outer perimeter of his duties,' he has absolute immunity and Judge Chutkan absolutely eviscerates that argument. what do you think?"
Bolden concurred with Chutkan, saying, "I think it's the right decision."
"I really believe these arguments about presidential immunity, given the allegations against Donald Trump, are always going to be dead on arrival," wrote Bolden. "Because his duties and responsibilities have nothing to do with him deciding a riot, telling people to go interrupt the counting of votes, our electoral votes and what have you, but in fact, in the Constitution, Chris, the president has no role in the transfer of power or counting the electoral votes and certifying elections. It just doesn't fly."
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Bolden then brought up as precedent the case Clinton v. Jones. "Clinton v. Jones says, it's not the fact that you're the president, it's the fact that what the acts to committed as president, were they a part of your official duties or not? Just being the president doesn't mean you can do anything you want, because again, no one is above the law."
Watch the video below or at the link.
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