U.S. News
Trump asks appeals court to give him legal immunity from Jan. 6 lawsuits [Video]
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Former President Trump is asking an appeals court to give him legal immunity from civil lawsuits related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
- Trump’s legal team filed an application to appeal a February decision that the former president could be held liable for any wrongdoing.
- The February judgment ruled that Trump could be held liable in civil suits for any wrongdoing.
Former President Donald Trump is asking a federal appeals court to give him total immunity from civil lawsuits alleging that he incited the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Trump’s legal team asked the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to overturn a court decision in February ruling that Trump could be held accountable for his actions ahead of the Capitol riot.
In a 48-page filing, the former president’s lawyers asserted that Judge Amit Mehta declined to dismiss the lawsuits out of a distaste for Trump’s speech during the ‘Save America’ rally on January 6. Trump was accused of encouraging his supporters to “fight like hell.”
The lawyers also argued that the immunity afforded to Trump cannot be “undercut if the presidential act in question is unpopular among the judiciary.”
Trump’s lawyers made the arguments as they seek to shield the former president from civil lawsuits filed by House Democrats and two U.S. Capitol Police officers who said they were injured during the siege.
Mehta, an Obama appointee confirmed in 2014, ruled that Trump was not immune from civil lawsuits and that he was acting as a presidential candidate, not performing one of the duties of his office, when he made the speech at the rally.
In his February ruling, Mehta wrote: “To deny a President immunity from civil damages is no small step. The court well understands the gravity of its decision. But the alleged facts of this case are without precedent, and the court believes that its decision is consistent with the purposes behind such immunity.”
Trump’s lawyers argued in their court filing Wednesday that there were other means to punish a president over misconduct in office, citing impeachment as an example.
The “Democratic-controlled House” had already formally reprimanded Trump by impeaching him in early 2021, the lawyers said. They added that any lawsuits, in addition, to that impeachment can be called harassment.
Trump was acquitted by the Senate in a 57-43 vote in February 2021.
“President Trump is shielded by absolute presidential immunity because his statements were on matters of public concern and therefore well within the scope of the robust absolute immunity afforded all presidents,” Trump’s lawyers contended.
Federal prosecutors have been directly asking witnesses about Trump’s role in the efforts to overturn the election, indicating that the Department of Justice is increasingly scrutinizing the former president.
Source: Yahoo! News
John Meacham
July 30, 2022 at 6:55 am
Democrats can not defend there own actions in inciting there own actions so that they can not charge Trump for there own behavior!
Debbie
July 30, 2022 at 7:11 am
Hey crooked democrats give it up You can’t stop Trump because we elected him on the basis that he is a business man and knows how to take care of “WE THE PEOPLE “
BBPeck
August 3, 2022 at 4:40 pm
Absolutely
Shirley Davis
July 30, 2022 at 8:01 am
Why don’t they show the real pictures of Jan 6th police motion the people through the barricades & Trump had asked for service guys to be there & Nancy Palouse refused democrats staged the whole thing what happened to the black cop who killed Ashley if a white cop killed a black person all hell would break loose Who’s racist I support TRUMP
Roland
July 30, 2022 at 9:01 am
Mehtas ruling from start to finish was a piss poor attempt to cover his Bias and a attempt to justify his actions. His first sentence explained that he was not qualified to make that decision. Then he forgets that he is a judge and makes another Biased statement “But the alleged facts” those two words don’t go together in the same sentence. Proper unbiased intelligent word is ” allegations ” and everything after that point are his personal conjecture and not backed up by fact but guided by his personal bias.
D.D.
July 30, 2022 at 11:16 am
The idiot wants legal immunity and the criminal is nuts if he thinks he’s gonna get it.
The first thing he did when he took office was to make it so a sitting president couldn’t be prosecuted. What we are seeing now is exactly why he wants to be back at the helm so badly…
J A I L T H E M A N I A C !!!
Had enough
July 30, 2022 at 4:04 pm
You are part of the problems we have today. You liberals are the real threat to society, idiots all of you..
Louise Golden
July 31, 2022 at 7:45 pm
The Swamp doesn’t want anyone that can tell them they are wrong and do something about it. They have had their political club too long. It’s time too get it straightened out and operate as it was intended. Believe me, this Hangman’s noose Jan 6 Committe is making us such an illegal drama and will be exposed.
D. BUTLER
August 1, 2022 at 3:27 am
He definitely should NOT get any immunity for anything! I will be very disappointed if his wings aren’t permanently clipped. They should have removed him thru the 25th amendment when they had the chance!
Everett
July 30, 2022 at 12:28 pm
They (dems) are far from proving that Trump was liable for ANY action on Jan 6, other than offering the use to the National Guard, which Pelosi turned down. This so-called federal judge needs to be hanged for GROSS incompetence to our justice system. I believe (and hope) that when Nov elections swing around, a plethora of communist fascist dems are going to get their necks stretched.
Roland
July 30, 2022 at 1:05 pm
One more thought on this clown of a judge. He just told Americans that we can all sue Biden for all of the hurt he did to America.
MaryAnne B Phillips
July 30, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Democrats seem to have a built-in immunity for any and all crimes committed.
Junius
July 31, 2022 at 12:49 pm
It is unbelievable that any one with half a brain would be trying the insane actions of the Democrats. I guess they are like their leader, they follow the urging olf the communist/Socialist!
Anna
August 1, 2022 at 10:36 am
When asked why Dems hate Trump so much a lot of them say his hair, his tweets, he was arrogant. When you look at what he did while in office and look at how well the US was doing then and then ask Dems what it is that Mr. Biden has done thus far to help us all they can’t answer. This is because Biden has ruined every thing that he does or what he is told to do. Name one thing that is better under this administration. We all better hope and pray he gets immunity , returns to the White House, and starts exposing these criminals and socialist nut jobs that are there now before China owns us all.