Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) this week made the argument that former President Donald Trump's election interference case must be tried ahead of the 2024 presidential election -- and The New Republic's Greg Sargent argues she's handed Democrats a "weapon" to use against both Trump and the Supreme Court.
Right after the Supreme Court agreed to take up Trump's claims that his actions in trying to illegally remain in power constituted legitimate uses of his presidential powers and were thus immune from prosecution, Cheney issued a statement emphasizing the importance of having the case go to trial by this November.
"Delaying the January 6 trial suppresses critical evidence that Americans deserve to hear," she said. "Donald Trump attempted to overturn an election and seize power. Our justice system must be able to bring him to trial before the next election. SCOTUS should decide this case promptly."
Sargent argues that Democrats should take a page from Cheney and emphasize the importance of holding this case before the election so that Trump does not have the opportunity to simply shut it down should he manage to win back the White House after having successfully run out the clock.
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"Trump is seeking these delays to end all prosecutions of himself if he regains the White House — to corruptly place himself above the law by pardoning himself or having his handpicked lickspittle attorney general do it," writes Sargent. "Democrats must say clearly that if the court helps delay the trial until after the election, it will be enabling him to do that."
Sargent points to polling showing that most Americans think the trials against Trump are legitimate, and he says that they need to hammer home to voters that a Trump victory will deprive them of their right to know the truth about his actions after losing the 2020 presidential election.
"It’s not unreasonable for Democrats to worry about the implications of being vocal on this matter," Sargent writes. "It is potentially problematic to demand that the Supreme Court make decisions in keeping with the political timetable. But Trump himself created an unprecedented situation: Trump tried to nullify constitutional democracy to seize power in defiance of lawful processes. He’s demanding total immunity for any crimes he committed toward that end."
