RAWSTORY+ EXCLUSIVES

Trump would have difficulty convincing SCOTUS he should be able to commit a crime: experts

ALSO READ: 'If the KKK shot a Black man': GOP rep's hair-raising hypothetical on Jimmy Kimmel affair

Trump would have difficulty convincing SCOTUS he should be able to commit a crime: experts
Fulton County Court

Donald Trump has made it clear he intends to appeal decisions against him in all of his court cases all the way to the Supreme Court — but legal analysts are saying that it might not work out well for him.

Former prosecutors Mary McCord and Andrew Weissmann looked at the recent ruling from Judge Tanya Chutkan in the Washington, D.C. election interference trial — and explained her ruling is a textual one.

Speaking on MSNBC, Chutkan ruled Trump couldn't claim immunity through the office of the presidency.

"She first looks at the text of the Constitution and says there is no immunity explicit in the text of the Constitution for a president," McCord paraphrased.

"Contrast that, for example, to the speech or debate clause, which does provide immunity to members of Congress for legislative activity. So, nothing in the text. She looks at the structure of our constitutional system and says, it's far different from civil liability, where the pressure of potential vexatious litigation — once you're no longer president in a civil context — for money damages and things like that."

ALSO READ: Baboons, self-owns and smut: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Facebook page is a hot mess

But she said the same concern does not apply in criminal cases.

Ultimately, she said, there should never be a question about whether a president should or should not commit a crime.

"You just don't commit crimes," McCord said. "So, structurally, we don't need to provide this protection. And historically, it's always been assumed that presidents could face criminal responsibility."

Chutkan looked at Watergate and the pardon that Richard Nixon was given for any crimes he may have committed.

"So, her opinion is very well grounded in law and also is filled with quotable moments looking at our history and looking at the importance of the rule of law," McCord closed.

Weissmann agreed, saying that courts and judges are "really stepping up" on the cases involving Trump when it comes to drafting their decisions.

See the full discussion in the video below or at the link here.

Trump might have a hard time convincing SCOTUS he should be able to commit a crime: expert youtu.be

For customer support contact support@rawstory.com. Report typos and corrections to corrections@rawstory.com.

FCC chair doubles down on Jimmy Kimmel hours before show set to return

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is doubling down on his attempt to punish Jimmy Kimmel — and now blames Democrats for the wave of backlash after Disney and ABC pulled the show last week.

"Democrats just keep digging themselves a deeper & deeper hole on Kimmel," Carr wrote on X. "They simply can’t stand that local TV stations—for the first time in years—stood up to a national programmer & chose to exercise their lawful right to preempt programming. We need to keep empowering local TV stations to serve their communities of license."

TV station groups Nexstar Media and Sinclair Broadcasting have said they plan to boycott Kimmel's show after ABC and its parent company Disney announced it will return Tuesday — backtracking on its earlier decision to pull the show after comments made about Charlie Kirk.

Nexstar and Sinclair plan to replace it with news programming for about a quarter of the stations they control, which is about 20% of ABC local affiliates, the New York Times reported.

Carr last week threatened Jimmy Kimmel's suspension on a conservative podcast, saying Disney should "take action," just hours before the network pulled the show and suspended the late-night host "indefinitely" over his remarks about Trump and slain MAGA influencer Kirk.

Disney on Monday announced that it had "thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday."

The suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" had been condemned by lawmakers, free speech advocates and notable Hollywood stars. Protests broke out in Los Angeles outside the studio where the show is taped.

The company's stock dropped in the days following as calls grew to boycott ABC/Disney and Hulu amid the ongoing pressures from conservative affiliate owners Sinclair and Nexstar.

Nexstar is trying to close a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna, another TV station owner, and needs the FCC's and the Trump administration's approval to secure the deal, The Times reported. The show could ultimately move to another TV station owner.

Former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler has accused Carr of using his leverage to approve corporate mergers to "bludgeon" regulated companies like Nexstar and Sinclair, both of which have corporate mergers awaiting his approval. He said the chairman's justification for getting involved was improper.

"The FCC does not have a roving mandate to police speech in the name of the public interest," Wheeler said.

THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING! ALL ADS REMOVED!

Trump would-be assassin tries to stab himself after guilty verdict

A jury has found Ryan Routh, the man who plotted to shoot President Donald Trump, guilty on all five counts, NBC News reported Tuesday.

Ruth poked a gun through the shrubbery at Trump's Doral golf club in Florida, but the Secret Service saw him. He then fled the scene and was caught and arrested in September last year.

Routh represented himself in court.

He was convicted of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He had pleaded not guilty.

Reports claimed Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen after hearing the verdict. His daughter, who was in court, begged her father, "Don't hurt yourself," and promised, "We'll get you out," the reports stated. He was unhurt.

Ex-state senator jailed after being convicted of burglary

Seventh Judicial District Chief Judge Michael Fritz on Tuesday sentenced former Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, to a six-month jail sentence with eligibility for work release, meaning she can work outside the jail during the day and sleep there at night.

A jury found Mitchell guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools in July after she broke into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home in April 2024.

Fritz ordered Mitchell to serve her six months sentence in Ramsey County jail. Defendants are typically incarcerated where the conviction occurred — in this case Becker County — but Fritz allowed her to serve her jail sentence in her home county so she can participate in work release. Minnesota requires convicted felons to serve two-thirds of their sentences incarcerated, so Mitchell will be in jail for at least four months.

Mitchell, who resigned from the Minnesota Senate shortly after her trial, was also sentenced to five years of probation.

The Woodbury Democrat was found guilty of felony burglary and possession of burglary tools in July after a five-day trial in Detroit Lakes. The prosecution successfully argued that Mitchell intended to steal her late father’s possessions from her stepmother when she broke into her Detroit Lakes home on April 22, 2024. The state’s main evidence was that she told police as much during her arrest, and the jury saw the footage of her admissions from police officers’ body-worn cameras.

Mitchell testified during her trial, and on Tuesday during her sentencing hearing she told Fritz prior to her sentencing that she “deserved” to be there.

“I broke into her home. I was selfish. I was worried about my own feelings and a possible confrontation … and I did something ridiculous and illegal and selfish,” Mitchell said.

Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald read aloud a written statement from Carol Mitchell — Nicole Mitchell’s stepmother — during the sentencing hearing.

Carol Mitchell said she still does not feel safe after the break-in and can never trust her stepdaughter again.

“The fear that Nicole created when she broke into my house has not left me,” Carol Mitchell wrote.

Nicole Mitchell is appealing her conviction.

Copyright © 2025 Raw Story Media, Inc. PO Box 21050, Washington, D.C. 20009 | Masthead | Privacy Policy | Manage Preferences | Debug Logs
For corrections contact corrections@rawstory.com , for support contact support@rawstory.com .

{{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}