Trump Seeks to Overturn Ruling Refusing Immunity in D.C. Case

Former President Donald Trump is planning to appeal a ruling that rejected his claim to presidential immunity in a federal election obstruction case against him, as reported by Bloomberg News.

U.S. District Judge for Washington, D.C., Tanya Chutkan, denied  Trump’s motion to dismiss the case last Friday, rejecting his claim of presidential immunity and constitutional grounds. 

“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,” Chutkan wrote, adding that Trump’s “four-year service as Commander in Chief did not bestow on him the divine right of kings to evade the criminal accountability that governs his fellow citizens.”

Trump’s attorneys filed a notice on Thursday stating their intent to appeal the ruling, and a separate ruling requesting a pause on proceedings related to the case while the appeal is ongoing.

“The filing of President Trump’s notice of appeal has deprived this Court of jurisdiction over this case in its entirety pending resolution of the appeal,” wrote  attorneys Todd Blanche and John Lauro. “Therefore, a stay of all further proceedings is mandatory and automatic.”

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement on Thursday: “The Constitution protects Presidents in their work to make sure laws are followed, especially as it relates to elections. Consistent with binding Supreme Court case law, the unconstitutional prosecution must be stayed while President Trump appeals this vital issue.”