US court allows to prosecute Trump in 2020 elections case
Former U.S. President Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
A federal appeals court in Washington has ruled that Donald Trump is not immune from prosecution for alleged crimes he committed during his presidency to reverse the results of the 2020 election, reports CNN.
As noted, such a decision is a major blow to Trump’s key defense thus far in the federal election subversion case brought against him by special counsel Jack Smith.
Trump had argued that the conduct Smith charged him over was part of his official duties as president and therefore shielded him from criminal liability.
"For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant. But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution," the court concluded.
Lawsuits against Trump
Donald Trump currently faces 91 criminal charges in three cases. He is accused of paying $130,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels, subverting the 2020 election and mishandling classified information after he left office.
In 2024, the court will begin considering another accusation against the former US president - this time regarding the storming of the Capitol.
US elections and issue with Trump's candidacy
The next presidential election in the United States is scheduled for November 5, 2024.
According to forecasts, the main candidate from the Democrats may be the current American leader, Joe Biden. At the same time, Donald Trump has a good chance of becoming the Republican candidate.
On December 20, 2023, the Colorado Supreme Court banned Trump from participating in the state's primaries due to the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. It prohibits the organizers and participants of the rebellion, which the court recognized as the storming of the Capitol by Trumpists on January 6, 2021, from participating in the elections.
The ex-president's team appealed this decision to the US Supreme Court. The judges have already started the proceedings. The decision is expected on February 8, it will probably be applied throughout the country.
Trump urged the Supreme Court to overturn the decision to ban him from participating in the Colorado primary.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden and Donald Trump have become the leaders of the primaries in the state of New Hampshire.
