Capitol Hill Democrats railed at a Supreme Court decision Monday that presidents have broad immunity from prosecution when performing "official acts."
Democrats have long argued that under the Constitution, no one — not even the president — is above the law.
In its ruling, however, the high court found former President Donald Trump is exempt from prosecution for certain actions — possibly including those related to his effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
"This decision by the Supreme Court today is a travesty and perhaps the most dangerous judicial opinion from our Supreme Court in generations," Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., told The Hill.
"By smooth and naive legalese, these partisan justices have created a framework for a president to commit any acts he or she chooses ... this opinion is nothing less than a blueprint for a lawless dictator to take root in the Oval Office of the White House.”
Other Democrats were also enraged — and issued dire warnings.
"Today is a dark day for American Democracy," Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., a former federal prosecutor, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
"The Supreme Court's ruling gives expansive immunity to a corrupt president who purports to use acts within his official authority to conspire to overturn a lawful election."
Goldman characterized the ruling as highly partisan, accusing two of the conservative justices — Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito — of defying legal obligations to recuse themselves from the immunity case because of their connections to Trump.
Thomas' wife, Ginni Thomas, was a leading figure in the "Stop the Steal" movement, while Alito said his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, was responsible for flying flags related to that campaign outside two of their homes, The Hill reported.
"This ruling is perhaps the final nail in the coffin of this rogue Supreme Court's claim to institutional legitimacy," Goldman wrote.
In a press release, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the Supreme Court's credibility has been "further diminished in the eyes of all those who believe in the rule of law. "
"The Supreme Court has gone rogue" as the "claim of total presidential immunity is an insult to the vision of our founders, who declared independence from a King," she said in a statement.
The ruling from the high court — on its last day of the current term — marked a victory for Trump, who has requested total immunity in the federal case charging him with four separate felonies related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, and his role in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., advised on X: "Don't panic on Trump immunity case. Jack Smith will argue Trump's actions were not 'official acts.' There's precedent on this from a J6 civil case *that I know a thing or two about* that was unanimously upheld by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. This is not a Trump victory."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., posted a statement on X, saying, "No one, including the twice-impeached former President, should be above the law."
He went on to say, "House Democrats will engage in aggressive oversight and legislative activity with respect to the Supreme Court to ensure that the extreme, far-right justices in the majority are brought into compliance with the Constitution."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Corte, D-N.Y., vowed on X that she would file articles of impeachment when lawmakers returned to Washington.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.