A federal court denied former President Donald Trump’s request for immunity, allowing him to be held liable in civil lawsuits related to the storming of the Capitol in January 2021. Trump’s defense argued that, as president at the time, he had immunity from prosecution judicial. However, the court ruled that Trump was acting out of “personal interest as a presidential candidate” in urging his supporters to march to the Capitol during the riot.
++ Biden will not attend COP28
The decision opens the possibility for Trump to face lawsuits brought by Capitol police officers and Democratic lawmakers, who seek to hold him responsible for the violence caused by his followers in an attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Five people died during the riot, including four protesters and a police officer, and several people were detained in the following days.
++ Trump is unlikely to attend Milei’s inauguration in Argentina, says source
This decision represents one of several civil and criminal challenges facing Trump as he seeks the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the 2024 election. Trump claims that his speech during the riot was related to a “matter of public interest” and was within their official responsibilities.
In response to the decision, a Trump spokesperson called it “limited, narrow and procedural,” arguing that Trump was acting on behalf of the American people on the day of the attack. In the federal criminal case accusing him of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election, a judge on Friday also rejected Trump’s request for immunity, highlighting the continuing legal challenges he faces. In the lawsuit filed by Capitol Police officers James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby, Trump is accused of being responsible for the physical and emotional injuries the officers suffered during the attack. The agents’ lawyer, Patrick Malone, said in a statement that the decision shows that those who threaten democracy and the safety of those who swore to protect it will be held accountable. The issue of presidential immunity, which Trump’s defense has indicated it intends to invoke in the remaining criminal cases, could be taken to the nation’s Supreme Court.