Jessica Corbett is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.
A three-judge panel from the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday unanimously ruled against former U.S. President Donald Trump's claims of immunity in a criminal case stemming from his efforts to overturn his 2020 loss. 'For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant.
When one judge had challenged the limits of immunity by asking Trump's attorney whether a president could 'order SEAL Team 6 to assassinate a political rival,' the lawyer responded that 'he would have to be and would speedily be impeached and convicted before the criminal prosecution.' The panel's decision comes after Judge Tayna Chutkan of the U.S.