One of the huge issues facing the nation is whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for alleged crimes committed during and after his term as President of the United States? Is Donald Trump - or anyone else - above the law?
On the face of it the answer seems obvious. In the United States no one is above the law, not even Presidents. But, Trump is disputing this idea. In our system of government, the courts have the final say in this kind of dispute. It is important, therefore, that we understand the laws of the land and how the courts are making their decisions. Are they based on law and the Constitution or on politics?
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the nation’s second highest court, has ruled unanimously that Trump is NOT immune from prosecution, nor is he above the law. They explained every aspect of their decision in a 67-page document.
To make it easier for everyone to have access to this important decision, and to understand how the U.S. Court of Appeals came to their decision, I've recorded three of the four main sections of the US Court of Appeals Ruling.
The IS TRUMP ABOVE THE LAW? series of podcasts offers a reading of the following sections of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruling:
Section I - Background
Section III - Executive Immunity
Section IV - Double Jeopardy Principle & Conclusion.
For the sake of time I did not record Section II which discusses why the U.S. Court of Appeals has jurisdiction to make a decision on this matter.
The Supreme Court apparently feels compelled to have the final say on Trump’s immunity claims and will hear oral arguments during the week of April 22 on a single question: "Whether and if so to what extent does a former president enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office."
It will be important to understand whether the Supreme Court uses the law or politics to make their decision.
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