Legal Expert Weighs In on Trump's Immunity Plea: "No Way He's Going to Win This"

In a legal showdown drama, former President Donald Trump faces a prominent challenge as his legal team argues for presidential immunity in a criminal case. Legal experts and former prosecutors are skeptical about the viability of Trump’s immunity plea, emphasizing the seriousness of the case and its potential implications. Andrew Weissmann, a former senior prosecutor for Robert Mueller, shared details regarding the legal intricacies of the case during a recent appearance on MSNBC’s The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell.

Weissman shared that the Justice Department would probably argue against  any doctrine of presidential immunity, exclaiming, "I'm going to see whether the court adopts that broad sweep that Judge Tanya Chutkan did, their backup argument is that even if it applies to what's called the 'outer perimeter' of the president's functions, this case does not involve conduct that is within the president's functions." Weissmann referred to Judge Chutkan’s decision, labeling it 'the more correct' interpretation based on precedent set by the Supreme Court and courts of appeals. 

One major key aspect of the case is the stay Trump needs, effectively putting the legal proceedings on hold while his immunity claim is considered at every court. Weissmann shared, "The second issue I'm gonna be really focused on is whether they address the stay, and whether it was appropriate for this case to be heard by the D.C. Circuit at this time because the clock is everything here."

As per RawStory, addressing the bigger picture of the case, Weissmann spoke about the importance of holding Presidents accountable for potential criminal actions. He said, "If you are a president or a former president, and you are worried about doing something that is criminal, that's not a bad thing, that's a good thing for the law to hold you accountable if you are actually thinking of violating the law. We do not want a system where... that is not possible. In many ways, the big lesson that we are discussing this tonight. But it's a sign of what we have come to that this is actually a serious issue that is going to be addressed by the court. Because... I think there's no way that Donald Trump is going to win this argument [Tuesday]."

Contrary to Trump's argument for immunity, Weissmann emphasized the value of a system that upholds the rule of law and prevents any undue shielding of individuals from legal consequences. Looking ahead to the appeals court, Weissmann expressed skepticism about Trump's chances of success. As the legal proceedings unfold, all eyes are on the courtroom, where Trump's immunity plea will be put to the test. Legal experts and observers alike anticipate the court's decision and the potential implications for the future accountability of presidents and public officials.