Jack Smith a special prosecutor charged him last year Donald Trump former president for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. To that end, the former president is accused of pressuring election officials, spreading lies about election fraud, and trying to use the Capitol siege to stay in power and delay his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden validation of his victory.
Trump was indicted on four charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and against the rights of citizens, and obstruction of an official, each punishable by several years in prison. But the trial originally scheduled for early March was postponed after the former president’s lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court: it was proposed that the supreme judicial body suspend the previous decision according to which
Trump acted as an everyday citizen during the period in question, so he does not have immunity from prosecution.
The board will hear the oral arguments of the parties in the case today. If the court decides that Trump can be tried criminally, then the proceedings can continue – although since the verdict is expected in June at the earliest, the trial of the former president will not be able to start again until the end of summer at the earliest, right in the middle of the presidential campaign season. If, on the other hand, according to the court, Trump is protected by immunity, then
further criminal proceedings against the Republican standard-bearer may also be dropped,
i.e. those started due to the possession of encrypted documents and his attempt to change the election result in Georgia.
The judicial panel’s decision to accept Trump’s appeal was met with several criticisms. According to those demanding Trump’s conviction as soon as possible, in this clear issue, settled by two courts, the supreme judges only reject Trump’s impeachment, and therefore they should have rejected the appeal, upholding the previous verdict. The former president, on the other hand, argues that
after the 2020 election, he was still in office until January, therefore he carried out his actions aimed at falsifying the election results in the capacity of the president,
and enjoys constitutional protection from criminal liability.
Cover photo: Trump supporters storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington. Cover image source: Getty Images
