Former President Donald Trump at a trial
According to Reuters, Judge Chutkan said there was no legal basis to conclude that US presidents could not be criminally prosecuted once they left office.
“Whatever immunity may apply to a sitting president, the United States can only have one leader at a time, and that position does not confer a lifetime ‘get out of jail free pass,’” Judge Chutkan wrote in the ruling.
Because Mr. Trump is the first former or current U.S. president to face criminal charges, Ms. Chutkan's ruling marks the first time a U.S. court has confirmed that U.S. presidents can be criminally prosecuted like other U.S. citizens.
Former President Trump, who is leading the race to become the Republican Party’s nominee in 2024, can immediately appeal the ruling. And the appeals process, which could require a Supreme Court ruling, could delay Trump’s trial scheduled for March next year.
With Judge Chutkan's ruling, Mr. Trump is one step closer to having to go to court on charges that he tried to interfere with the vote counting process and obstruct the US Congress from certifying Mr. Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election.
Former President Trump appears in court in 'pocket money' lawsuit
Mr. Trump asserted his innocence and accused prosecutors of plotting to damage his upcoming election campaign.
The lawsuit is one of four criminal cases that Mr. Trump faces while running for the 2024 US election.
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