Special Counsel Jack Smith, investigating former President Trump, has suffered two major legal setbacks in the Supreme Court this week. The court’s rulings, concerning presidential immunity and obstruction charges, are a blow to Smith’s case and could push the election interference trial beyond the 2024 election.
The Supreme Court has ruled that former presidents have substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, a decision former President Trump hailed as a ‘big win for our Constitution and for democracy.’ The court’s ruling in Trump v. United States clarifies the scope of presidential immunity, but leaves the line between official and unofficial acts for lower courts to determine. The decision comes as Trump faces charges in connection with the January 6th Capitol riot and the 2020 election.
The Supreme Court has ruled that former presidents enjoy substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts. This decision, however, does not directly apply to the charges against former President Donald Trump regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, sending the case back to a lower court. The ruling sparked debate about the balance of power and the implications for future presidents.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s refusal to recuse himself from cases involving former President Trump’s alleged election interference has引发伦理争论。参议院少数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔指责民主党参议员理查德·布卢门撒尔和谢尔顿·怀特豪斯违反道德准则，要求将此问题提交法庭。麦康奈尔认为，这两位参议员通过信件与最高法院进行私下沟通，违反了美国律师协会的职业行为准则。他暗示，这样的行为可能构成“不当行为”，甚至可能受到纪律处分。
The Georgia Court of Appeals has scheduled a tentative hearing date of October 4th, 2024, for the case brought by former President Trump and his co-defendants to have District Attorney Fani Willis disqualified from the election interference investigation. The defense alleges that Willis has a conflict of interest due to a previous romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor who was removed from the case. Willis and Wade deny the allegations, but the defense argues that the appearance of impropriety is enough to warrant Willis’s disqualification. The hearing is set to take place roughly a month before the presidential election, potentially nullifying Willis’s aim to have the case go to trial before then.
In a historic verdict, Donald Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime while in office. A New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business documents related to a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. The conviction carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, though Trump is likely to face a shorter sentence or even probation. The verdict comes as Trump faces multiple other criminal investigations and could significantly impact his bid for reelection in November.
Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers is accusing Democrats of “election interference” after they alleged fraud in the nominating petitions of several GOP candidates, including Rogers. The Democratic Party and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) have urged an investigation into the petition sheets submitted by Rogers and other Republican candidates, claiming they contain fraudulent signatures. Rogers’ lawyer has slammed the allegations as “reckless and unsubstantiated” and urged the Michigan Board of State Canvassers to reject the claims. The legal battle comes as Michigan is expected to be a key battleground state in the upcoming November election, with a competitive race for the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow.
During the American Civil War, the Confederacy established a clandestine Secret Service that engaged in covert operations to manipulate news coverage and influence public opinion. Led by President Jefferson Davis, the Secret Service attempted to sway the Northern press in favor of the Confederacy and undermine Northern morale. They employed tactics such as bribery, intimidation, and the dissemination of propaganda, aiming to create a false narrative of the war and erode support for the Union cause. One of their primary objectives was to influence the outcome of the 1864 presidential election, and they succeeded in influencing the Democratic Party platform and spreading anti-war sentiment throughout the North.
Following the revelation of an upside-down American flag flown outside Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s house, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has called for Alito’s recusal from election-related cases. The incident has sparked an ethical crisis, with Durbin urging the adoption of a code of conduct for the Supreme Court. The outcome of Trump’s federal election interference case hinges on the court’s decision on his immunity claim.
House Republicans have invited attorney Nathan Wade to testify before the House Judiciary Committee regarding his role in the election interference case against former President Trump. The invitation comes amid allegations that Wade and Fulton County DA Fani Willis were romantically involved prior to his hiring and that she financially benefited from the relationship. Both Willis and Wade have denied the allegations.
