Will Trump get full presidential immunity? Law expert explains
Former President Donald Trump is in the midst of multiple legal battles, but everything could change if the Supreme Court rules that he has full presidential immunity.
“The Court is a lot more concerned about the presidency than about Trump,” National Review contributing author Andrew McCarthy tells Glenn Beck.
“It’s an important point to make because a lot of the coverage has been this hysteria over whether the Trump-packed Supreme Court is in the tank for him and they’re going to get rid of Jack Smith’s prosecution,” McCarthy says. “I don’t think that’s going to happen at all.”
Rather, McCarthy believes that the court will send the case back to the trial judge in Washington “with instructions to sort out what things in the indictment against Trump are what you would call "official acts" that might arguably be immune from prosecution” and “what are private acts or private wrongs that he would not have immunity for.”
However, according to McCarthy, Trump’s lawyer has admitted that a lot of conduct charged in the indictment is considered private conduct that wouldn’t fall under an immunity claim.
“What are some of the acts that could fall under private?” Glenn asks, adding, “and what are the acts that are the president and you don’t prosecute?”
One of the “solid examples” McCarthy uses is that “Trump’s lawyer conceded that if Trump made a private scheme with private lawyers to get slates of electors designated for him and to supply documents to the Congress suggesting that they were the authentic, actual slate of electors designated by a state, that would be private conduct because it’s purely office-seeking.”
“On the other hand,” McCarthy explains, “there’s an allegation in the indictment that Trump tried to use the Justice Department to signal to states that there were serious concerns about fraud and considered both removing the attorney general when he got push back and considered sending a letter that they never sent from the Justice Department to the state of Georgia to tell them that they needed to do more scrutiny over what happened in the popular election.”
“Trump argues very strongly, and I think the court will probably go along with this, that is the president’s control over the Justice Department,” he says.
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Trump requests judge's recusal over alleged 'conflict' and 'unacceptable appearance of impropriety'
Former President Donald Trump's legal team filed a motion Friday requesting the recusal of Acting Justice Juan Merchan over alleged "actual conflict" and "unacceptable appearance of impropriety," the New York Times reported.
The paperwork requests that the trial, slated for April 15, be delayed while Trump's team challenges Merchan's recent gag order against Trump.
The recusal request alleged a conflict of interest, citing Merchan's daughter's political activities.
"Your Honor's daughter, Loren Merchan, has a direct financial interest in these proceedings by virtue of her ownership stake and leadership role at Authentic Campaigns, Inc. Based on public disbursements data, Authentic, which services exclusively Democrat clients, is the #21 ranked vendor in the country in connection with the 2024 election," the 37-page filing stated. "The Court's interest in these proceedings by virtue of the close relationship with an immediate relative, and Ms. Merchan's ongoing receipt of commercial and reputational benefits based on the manner in which Your Honor has conducted these proceedings, requires recusal based on an actual conflict and an unacceptable appearance of impropriety."
The judge's gag order prevents the former president from making public statements about individuals involved in the case, including Loren Merchan.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, "Now, we have Merchan, who is not allowing me to talk, thereby violating the Law and the Constitution, all at once. It is so bad what he is trying to get away with - How was he even chosen for this case??? I heard he fought like hell to get it, and all of the rest of them also!"
"If this Partisan Hack wants to put me in the 'clink' for speaking the open and obvious TRUTH, I will gladly become a Modern Day Nelson Mandela - It will be my GREAT HONOR," Trump continued. "We have to Save our Country from these Political Operatives masquerading as Prosecutors and Judges, and I am willing to sacrifice my Freedom for that worthy cause."
Trump's attorneys previously requested a recusal in August 2023, which was "based on 'remote and 'speculative' arguments," according to the Friday court filing. "We dispute that conclusion, and it is clear that this motion cannot reasonably be dispensed of in that fashion."
At the time of the first recusal request, Trump was not yet the Republican nominee. His team argued that additional evidence demonstrating a conflict of interest had since surfaced.
The filing noted that Trump's success in the 2024 presidential election primaries "has cemented his status as a political target of Authentic, Ms. Merchan, and their clients."
"While that appears to be consistent with the company's political views, the more important consideration for purposes of this motion is that Authentic benefits reputationally and makes more money by targeting President Trump," it added.
Trump's team argued that "it would be completely unacceptable to most New Yorkers if the judge presiding over these proceedings had an adult child who worked at WinRed or MAGA Inc."
"Personal political views may not be a basis for recusal," the court filings continued. "But profiting from the promotion of a political agenda that is hostile to President Trump, and has included fundraising solicitations based on this case, must be."
Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 34 counts of falsifying business records lodged against him in April 2023 by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
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Glenn reacts as New York court hands Trump a HUGE victory over $454 million bond
While it seems that the unprecedented attack on Donald Trump won’t stop until he's behind bars, the former president isn’t going down without a fight.
In a huge victory on Monday, Trump won an appeal in his fraud case to have his bond reduced — which is now set at $175 million instead of $464 million. Not only has the bond been reduced by over 60%, the court has given him 10 more days to post it.
While it’s a massive win, Glenn Beck believes it’s still “completely excessive and ridiculous” and notes that there has never been an attack on a former or sitting president like this.
“You go through the ways this rule has been used historically, and there are no parallels at all to what has happened with Donald Trump,” Stu Burguiere agrees, adding, “it is quite clearly and quite obviously a political persecution, whether you like Trump or not.”
While the battle against Trump feels never-ending, Stu believes that the farther Trump can push this, the more likely his chance is to fight this off and win.
“I think he’s very likely to win in an appeal or at least have this reduced to maybe a dollar fine or $10,000 fine,” he says, noting that a fine that size would be “somewhat aligned with reality.”
Despite the win, the case is still “ridiculous” as Glenn pointed out. Its mere existence, along with other recent injustices, will signal a deeper distrust in the justice system for Americans everywhere — unless the courts can change course.
“Injustice is being served on so many Americans. From the FBI to the Justice Department to the court system in Donald Trump’s case,” Glenn says, adding, “it does give you a view on how important justice is — the kind of justice that many of us have taken for granted our whole lives.”
“We really are on the precipice of disaster,” Stu says. However, he hasn’t given up hope.
“It might need to go all the way to the Supreme Court,” he says, adding that when cases go that far, “it does seem to play out the right way a lot of times.”
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INSANE: Fani Willis ousting case comes to SHOCKING conclusion
Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee has allowed District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting former President Donald Trump’s Georgia election interference case — despite the fact that she clearly lied under oath.
McAfee found that Willis’ relationship with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade was not proven to be a conflict of interest enough to merit her removal from the case.
The judge did, however, find an appearance of impropriety and said either Willis and her office may leave the case or Wade must withdraw from the proceeding.
“Have you ever seen a clearer case of perjury?” Glenn asks, astounded by the ruling.
“Everyone on earth knows she was lying,” Stu Burguiere agrees.
Glenn believes it’s clearly rigged.
“It’s rigged because there’s no way any reasonable person would come up with that. No way,” Glenn says.
“I mean how can you possibly think this is just an appearance of impropriety?” Stu asks.
Had Wade and Willis been honest about their relationship, it would’ve been a much smaller deal.
“They boldly took the stand, wanted to lie, and did lie,” Glenn says.
“There is absolutely no way she should be in a position of power,” he continues, adding, “and so should he lose his law license. There is no law if attorneys can get away with that.”
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New York’s $355 million Trump charge just got more insane
New York’s $355 million civil fraud charge against former President Donald Trump just got worse — and the charge itself was already unprecedented.
When all is said and done, the lawsuit will end up costing Trump over $400 million.
The judge who ordered the ruling has just denied a request from Trump’s lawyers to delay formalizing his decision.
In an email to Trump’s legal team, Judge Arthur Engoron of the New York State Supreme Court wrote, “You have failed to explain, much less justify, any basis for a stay.”
“I am confident that the Appellate Division will protect your appellate rights,” he added.
Glenn Beck believes Trump is going to have to sell real estate in order to pay.
“This is so much money that he’s going to have to put up probably real estate and sell some real estate to be able to pay for this,” he says.
“You have to put that money into a bond, and then you have a bond holder holding it for you, and you have to pay them an additional fee, and then, hopefully, you win the appeal and eventually don’t have to pay it, but I mean, it’ll still cost you about 50 million,” Glenn adds.
Both Glenn and Stu Burguiere are under the impression that this is 100% a case of political persecution, and it can be proven.
“It’s actually provable,” Stu says, adding, “He’s running for the president of the United States, they’re trying to put him out of business, throw him in prison, take him off the ballots. I mean, it’s so blatantly obvious just on a surface.”
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Trump RICO case vs. case DOJ SHOULD make against Bidens
There is no one the left wants behind bars more than Donald Trump.
The former president has just been served his fourth criminal indictment by Georgia — but it’s a little different from the others.
It attempts to use racketeering laws to make a RICO case against Trump and many of his allies, in a way that mirrors how the government went after mob families.
Glenn Beck believes it’s “nonsense.”
Glenn explains that some of what the indictment cites are grievances like Trump soliciting a phone number from a Pennsylvania legislator as well as encouraging supporters to watch One America News Network as well as Newsmax.
“I think you get it,” Glenn mocks.
Meanwhile, the Biden crime family is apparently getting away with much more.
Records obtained through subcommittee subpoenas reveal that the Bidens, their family members, and associates have received over $20 million in payments from foreign entities.
While Biden was serving as vice president, a Biden family associate welcomed over $3 million from Romania. On March 1, 2017, less than two months after Biden left public office, a Chinese energy company wired $3 million to the same account.
Glenn Beck is certain there’s much more to worry about regarding what the Bidens have been up to than there is with what Donald Trump has been up to.
“So, wait, you’re getting us on booking a room? You’re getting us for texting a state legislator saying I need the numbers? Really? Okay, all right, I think the five million dollars from China, the eight million total to the family and associates — I think that’s a little bigger,” Glenn says.
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MSNBC Unhinged | 4/17/24