Trump, lawyers vow to appeal immunity ruling
Former President Donald Trump and his legal team are preparing for a huge response after a federal appeals court dealt them bad news this week.
A heavily liberal federal appeals court ruled this week that the former president doesn't enjoy presidential immunity as it relates to the charges he faces that pertain to actions he took while he was in office.
According to Breitbart, Trump and his attorneys have already vowed to fight back by taking the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, where he presumably hopes the conservative-majority high court will rule in his favor.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung released a statement on the former president's vow to appeal the decision.
"If immunity is not granted to a President, every future President who leaves office will be immediately indicted by the opposing party. Without complete immunity, a President of the United States would not be able to properly function!" Cheung said.
He added, "Deranged Jack Smith’s prosecution of President Trump for his Presidential, official acts is unconstitutional under the doctrine of Presidential Immunity and the Separation of Powers."
Cheung went on to warn that the "bedrock of our Republican" is under threat as a result of the ruling.
"Prosecuting a President for official acts violates the Constitution and threatens the bedrock of our Republic. President Trump respectfully disagrees with the DC Circuit’s decision and will appeal it in order to safeguard the Presidency and the Constitution."
VIDEO: Trump Team To Appeal Presidential Immunity Case https://t.co/PaohizOZZE #OAN
— One America News (@OANN) February 7, 2024
The judges on the panel made it clear that they were not convinced by Trump's lawyers' argument.
"For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant," the liberal D.C. Circuit judges wrote.
They added, "But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution."
"Instead of inhibiting the President’s lawful discretionary action, the prospect of federal criminal liability might serve as a structural benefit to deter possible abuses of power and criminal behavior," they continued.
Donald Trump Jr. reacted to the news, writing on X:
No one who’s been watching is shocked by this partisan hackery but here we go. DC appeals court has ruled that Trump does not have presidential immunity that would shield him in the J6 case Time for SCOTUS to step in. If POTUS doesn’t have immunity they’ll be incapable of action for fear of future partisan reprisal. That endangers the United States and sets a terrible precedent. If this becomes the norm would a Trump DOJ prosecute Obama for droning an American? If not why not?