Judge Rejects Trump’s Request Seeking Presidential Immunity In Election Interference Case

On Friday, former President Donald Trump‘s argument that he is immune to criminal responsibility for his actions during his presidential tenure was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. She rejected his request to dismiss the federal election interference case filed against him in 2020.

“Whatever immunities a sitting President may enjoy, the United States has only one Chief Executive at a time, and that position does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass,” the judge wrote.

She added that former presidents do not enjoy special conditions on their federal criminal liability.

In October, Trump’s legal team contended in a motion that he could not face prosecution for his actions carried out during his time in the White House. They argued that his endeavors to challenge the 2020 election outcomes were crucial components of his official duties as president.

Chutkan rejected that claim, stating that the defendant’s time as commander-in-chief for four years did not grant him the power to escape the legal responsibility that applies to all other citizens.

She also struck down another motion that argued the indictment violates the former president’s free speech rights. Another motion claiming that the indictment infringes upon the former president’s right to free speech was also dismissed by the judge.

A spokesperson for Trump criticized Chutkan’s ruling, saying that President Joe Biden and the Democrats were establishing a risky precedent by attempting to influence the 2024 presidential election.

This decision from Chutkan was issued shortly after a federal appeals court rejected a similar argument made by Trump’s legal team, who were trying to dismiss civil lawsuits that aimed to hold him responsible for the Capitol insurrection on January 6.