Perhaps the most audacious attempt at postponement by Donald Trump to yet was Wednesday’s petition to the Supreme Court.
As part of his ongoing effort to have the legal system accommodate his political agenda, he recently asked the high court to refrain from ruling on the matter of whether he is immune from federal prosecution for alleged crimes committed while in office.
This action was consistent with Trump’s legal approach in all of his criminal cases thus far: to postpone the proceedings, preferably until after the 2024 election.
Trump is expected to challenge the judgement to the US Supreme Court, which came less than 24 hours after the Colorado Supreme Court’s shocking decision to remove his name from the state’s primary ballot.
That basically means that next year, the Supreme Court will decide whether or not Trump may be imprisoned for crimes committed after the 2020 election and whether or not his acts as president can prevent him from running for office again in 2024.
Trump, however, flourishes in such an environment and always manages to turn the tables on his opponents.
“Like a fire needs oxygen to burn, he gets his fuel from grudges. When asked about the Colorado ruling, former Trump attorney general Bill Barr—who is opposed to Trump’s 2024 candidacy—told AWN’s Jake Tapper that this would ultimately be a personal grudge that benefits Trump.
The legal team representing Trump urged the Supreme Court to deny special counsel Jack Smith’s motion to sidestep a federal appeals court and decide whether Trump is immune from charges of election subversion efforts following his 2020 loss to Joe Biden. The outcome of this case could determine the future of the former president’s legal status.
On Thursday, Smith reiterated his earlier call for the Supreme Court to rule swiftly on the question of whether Trump enjoys immunity as president from charges of crimes committed while in office.
It is in the public’s best interest for this Court to make a final decision quickly since this case has to be resolved. In a fresh brief, Smith informed the justices that the charges in this case are quite serious.
Whether Judge Tanya Chutkan’s planned March 2024 start date—just before Super Tuesday—or a later start date—closer to or after November’s election—depends on how quickly the Supreme Court resumes the case, which has been halted while the immunity question is being decided.
Trump’s use of the Supreme Court is nothing new. After losing the 2020 election, he openly voiced his dissatisfaction with the court’s quick dismissal of a lawsuit contesting the election results and requested the three justices he had nominated to help him reverse his loss.
Just weeks before the first ballots are cast in the 2024 primary, Trump, who is now leading the GOP nomination race, is now seeking assistance from the Supreme Court for his campaign. It doesn’t matter how the court decides because the unprecedented and chaotic position that the court and the country find themselves in is a direct result of the dual-track Trump case.
Once again, Trump’s Republican opponents are defending him from the legal system.
The GOP primary, where contenders are fighting for a slim chance to overtake the former president, was once again overshadowed by the 4-3 decision in Colorado, which determined that Trump was ineligible to appear on the state’s primary ballot due to the 14th Amendment and engaged in insurgency.
Every one of Trump’s opponents who dared to try to steal the show was met by the unprecedented criminal charges against a former president, as happened after each of the four indictments.
By joining Trump’s supporters in condemning the Colorado verdict, those of Trump’s detractors who had previously used the news to cast doubt on his electability have returned to his side in the fight against the nation’s judicial system.
Voters, not the courts, should decide Trump’s election fate, according to even ex-New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who has supported the special counsel’s accusations against Trump.
While Biden refrained from directly commenting on Wednesday’s Colorado judgement, he did seize the opportunity to accuse Trump of being involved in an uprising.
Even if the campaigns choose to ignore 2020 in favour of other topics, the president’s remarks served as a timely reminder that the year 2020 will play a significant role in any rematch between Trump and Biden.
Upon his arrival in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Biden told reporters, “I think it’s self-evident” that Trump is an insurrectionist.
Justices will decide whether the 14th Amendment is applicable, Biden stated. However, he unquestionably backed a rebellion. Absolutely, without a doubt. Not a soul. Exactly none.