The Supreme Court has issued a decisive decision in President Donald Trump's (R) January 6th case. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump has some immunity from prosecution in his federal election interference case. On the campaign trail, President Trump has reiterated that he has this immunity, and the ruling is likely to cause a further divide in the political landscape.
Justices Sonya Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan were the dissenters in the ruling. In her dissent against the decision, Justice Sotomayor denounced the decision, warning that the "President is now a king."
"Today's decision to grant former President's criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the Presidency," she wrote. "It makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law."
"The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably," Justice Sotomayor warned. "In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law."
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts rejected President Trump's broad immunity claims, arguing that President Trump only has immunity for his "official" acts as president. Despite the ruling, the high court did not determine what constitutes an official act in this case. Instead, they're leaving it to the lower court.
The Biden campaign has issued a statement regarding the ruling, commenting that it "doesn't change the facts" regarding January 6th.
“Let’s be very clear about what happened on January 6: Donald Trump snapped after he lost the 2020 election and encouraged a mob to overthrow the results of a free and fair election,” the statement reads. “Trump is already running for president as a convicted felon for the very same reason he sat idly by while the mob violently attacked the Capitol: he thinks he’s above the law and is willing to do anything to gain and hold onto power for himself.”
