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Hi,
The Supreme Court has created “law-free zone around the president” that would allow him or her to order the assassination of a political opponent or stage a military coup and remain immune from criminal prosecution, in the words of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.1
The threat to our democracy posed by this radical decision cannot be understated. This Supreme Court must be stopped.
Demand Progress Action has been advocating for years for Supreme Court reforms that would rein in the excesses of this radical right-wing Supreme Court, including term limits and a legally binding code of ethics.
Now is the time to ramp up our efforts to restrain this extremist Supreme Court.
We expected a bad decision on Monday. The fact that the justices delayed issuing the ruling for so long already effectively eliminated any realistic chance that Trump could be prosecuted before the 2024 election for his crimes around January 6.
But this Supreme Court decision is so much worse than a delay in justice.
First, the ruling gives the president absolute immunity for any crimes committed as part of his “official acts.” Then, the ruling provides a sweepingly broad definition of “official acts,” creating an enormous zone of criminal immunity around the president. As if that’s not bad enough, the Supreme Court also ruled that evidence of crimes committed by the president is inadmissable in court if that evidence involved official acts.2
In the words of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the decision "makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law.”
When the president uses his official powers in any way, she continues, "he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution. Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune."3
Make no mistake: the threat to democracy posed by this ruling goes far beyond just what Donald Trump might do if elected. No president of any political party should be trusted with such extreme power.
Demand Progress Action has worked for years to restrain the radical right-wing takeover of the Supreme Court, and now, with the stakes higher than ever before, we’re asking you to help support our efforts to keep up the fight.
With gratitude,
The team at Demand Progress Action
Sources:
1. Slate, "Can the President Send SEAL Team Six to Assassinate His Rival? After Monday, Yes.," July 02, 2024.
2. Lawfare, "The Supreme Court’s Presidential Immunity Decision," July 2, 2024.
3. The New York Times, "Vehement Dissent From Supreme Court’s Liberal Wing Laments Vast Expansion of Presidential Power," July 1, 2024.
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