A federal appeals court on Tuesday unequivocally rejected former President Donald Trump’s absurd claim that he possesses total immunity to the federal election interference case that special counsel Jack Smith is prosecuting against him. “We cannot accept former President Trump’s claim that a President has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power — the recognition and implementation of election results,” the three-judge appeals panel wrote in its unanimous ruling.
Any rebuff, from a snide remark to a legal defeat, provokes a combination of projection and threats of reprisal.
Trump predictably lashed out: “If immunity is not granted to a President, every future President who leaves office will be immediately indicted by the opposing party,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement. “Without complete immunity, a President of the United States would not be able to properly function!” The pugilistic tone shows that Tuesday’s defeat only sets up the next attempted delay at the Supreme Court, potentially extending his hopes of winning in November without having gone to trial and, thus, returning to the safety of the White House.
In the meantime, it’s easy to become numb to these bombastic fits from Team Trump as just part of his shtick. Any rebuff, from a snide remark to a legal defeat, provokes a combination of projection and threats of reprisal. It’s all in keeping with the narrative he’s crafted that he’s a “counterpuncher” who strikes only when attacked. In this case, he is selling the delusion that the rule of law itself attacked him. But the hyperbolic rhetoric doesn’t detract from his clear intent to prosecute his enemies in revenge if he wins office again.
Trump has insisted that it’s his political opponents, chiefly President Joe Biden, who are themselves “criminal” and “treasonous.” For just one example, he has tried to push the…
Read the full article here
