President Donald Trump lost his legal fight with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office after a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed his lawsuit challenging a grand jury subpoena for his tax returns.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero rejected Trump’s “extraordinary claim” that while serving as President of the United States, he has “absolute immunity” from any kind of criminal process including investigations, grand jury proceedings and subpoenas, indictment, prosecution arrest, trial, conviction and incarceration.
He also rejected the President’s argument that any other person including his business affiliate, associate, or relative who may have collaborated with him and suspected of wrongdoing is also immune from criminal process.
Judge finds the President’s arguments “an overreach of executive power”
In his 75-page ruling, Marrero wrote, “In practice, the implications and actual effects of the President’s categorical rule could be far-reaching. In some circumstances, by raising his protective shield, applicable statutes of limitations could run, barring further investigation and prosecution of serious criminal offenses, thus potentially enabling both the President and any accomplices to escape being brought to justice.”
