McConnell Says Presidents Should Not Be Immune From Criminal Prosecution

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has weighed in on former President Donald Trump’s claims of immunity from prosecution for official acts whereas in workplace following his legal professional’s oral arguments earlier than the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday.

That stated, McConnell reiterated to “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker that he stands by his acquittal vote and stands by the remarks he made in 2021 when he voted towards convicting Trump in a Senate trial following Trump’s impeachment by the House on prices linked to the Jan. 6 Capitol assault, NBC News reported.

“President Trump is still liable for everything he did while he was in office … He didn’t get away with anything, yet,” McConnell said in 2021, adding, “We have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation. And former presidents are not immune from being [held] accountable by either one.”

“That’s [still] my view,” McConnell stated Thursday. “But my view is only my view. I mean, the court is going to decide.”

Thursday’s Supreme Court proceedings revolve round federal prices accusing Trump of unlawfully interfering within the certification of the 2020 presidential election outcomes. Trump contends he holds absolute immunity from prosecution for actions taken whereas serving as president. The court docket’s deliberations will decide the extent of presidential immunity.

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“I’m not on the Supreme Court. I don’t get to make the final decision on that,” McConnell stated.

In late March, a number of GOP senators stated they had been planning for a post-McConnell world after they’d grown more and more annoyed with how he’s achieved his job and are assured that the occasion’s subsequent Senate chief will likely be higher.

The senators told The Daily Caller that his walled-off, McConnell-centric model of management is now not acceptable in as we speak’s political local weather, including that almost all Republicans within the chamber imagine they need to work collectively.

McConnell revealed in late February his determination to relinquish his function as Senate Republican chief come November. The Kentuckian acknowledged his intention to meet his time period, concluding in January 2027, “albeit from a different seat in the chamber.”

Following McConnell’s announcement, two Republican senators, John Cornyn from Texas and John Thune from South Dakota, have declared their candidacy for the following Senate GOP Leader place. Meanwhile, Rick Scott, a Republican senator from Florida who beforehand challenged McConnell for the management function in 2020, can be reportedly contemplating working for the job, the Daily Caller added.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson informed the Caller that the anti-establishment wing of the occasion hasn’t settled on a candidate, however talks are ongoing.

“No, we’ve had discussions, but I’ll leave it at that. We were having discussions before Leader McConnell announced his intention there. I mean, I think I was surprised. I wasn’t expecting that. But, again, I appreciate the fact that he did give us that heads-up. So we have this time,” he stated.

“From my standpoint, I’ll sing the praises of Rick Scott. He’s shown leadership. It was his tenacity that continued to schedule meetings with House members, week after week after week, really got us by the debt ceiling impasse. I’m not sure he gets enough credit for that,” Johnson continued.

A supply acquainted with the scenario informed The Caller that McConnell has “weaponized” his management place each inside and outdoors the chamber, citing the Senate Leadership Fund and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).

“We want to de-weaponize the platform, the leadership platform. The leadership platform has been weaponized on the inside and outside. The outside political side of it has been weaponized. But the Senate Leadership Fund and to a degree, the NRSC, over which leader McConnell has wielded a significant amount of influence, some would say quite improperly,” the supply stated.

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