WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The Supreme Court ruled U.S. presidents are now legally immune from criminal prosecution if it is considered an official act.
The historic ruling does leave room for prosecution for actions deemed unofficial.
The ruling all but guarantees Donald Trump will not face criminal trial for his role leading up to the January 6th riot before Election Day.
In the 6-3 decision the Supreme Court declared presidents immune from prosecution for official acts. MAGA Republicans are applauding the court’s decision which will likely shield former president Trump from January 6th related charges at least until after the election.
On Truth Social, Trump called it a big win for democracy.
“We’re winning everywhere, and we’re going to win more,” said former Trump advisor Steve Bannon.
The court’s conservative majority suggested without some immunity prosecution of presidents could quickly become routine.
The three liberal justices sharply disagreed, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing the decision quote “makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution…that no man is above the law.”
The ruling does leave presidents on the hook for non-official acts
George Washington University Professor Paul Schiff Berman warns it would be near impossible to separate the two.
“It’s hard to imagine any prosecution of a president that would not involve some intrusion on executive power,” said Schiff Berman.
The Biden campaign is now using the ruling as rally cry to defeat Trump in November.
“This is much bigger than one moment, this is about the backbone of our country,” said senior Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz.
The Justice Department has not released a statement regarding the ruling.
The case heads back to a lower court to decide which charges are considered official acts.
