Biden slams US Supreme Court ruling on ‘presidential immunity’,

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden warned Monday that the US Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on presidential immunity sets a “dangerous precedent” that Donald Trump would exploit if elected in November.

The conservative-dominated court ruled that Trump—and all presidents—enjoy “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for “official acts” taken while in office, but can still face criminal penalties for “unofficial acts.”

Criticising the decision by the court’s conservative majority—which all but guarantees Trump will not face trial in Washington ahead of the November election over his actions during the violent riot on Jan. 6, 2021—Biden said it now fell to the American people “to do what the courts should have been willing to do but will not.

“The American people have to render judgement about Donald Trump’s behaviour,” President Biden said in a speech at the White House.

“For all practical purposes, today’s decision almost certainly means there are no limits to what a president can do. This is a fundamentally new principle, and it’s a dangerous precedent,” he added.

Trump is facing criminal charges over his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden, but that trial had been put on hold while the Supreme Court considered his immunity claims.

The 6-3 ruling on Monday, split along ideological lines, is set to further delay proceedings in that case, almost certainly to sometime after voters head to the polls in November.

“I know I will respect the limits of presidential power as I have for the past three-and-a-half years, but any president, including Donald Trump, will now be free to ignore the law,” Biden said.

“The American people must decide if they want to entrust… once again, the presidency to Donald Trump, now knowing he’ll be more emboldened to do whatever he pleases, whenever he wants to do it,” he added.

Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, in his majority opinion, said a president is “not above the law” but does have “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for official acts taken while in office.

“The president therefore may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers,” Roberts said.

“As for a President’s unofficial acts, there is no immunity,” the chief justice added, sending the case back to a lower court to determine which of the charges facing Trump involve official or unofficial conduct.