Prosecutor Predicts Supreme Court Will Punt Trump Immunity Case Back to Judge Chutkan
Photo: Associated Press (AP)
In a segment on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Thursday morning, State Attorney for Palm Beach County Dave Aronberg predicted that the Supreme Court will likely send Donald Trump’s bid for absolute criminal immunity back to U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan. Aronberg suggested this move could be a significant advantage for special counsel Jack Smith.
Speaking with “Morning Joe” co-hosts, Aronberg emphasized there is no reason for the Supreme Court to delay its ruling, except for its conservative-leaning. When asked, “What’s the holdup?” he explained the current status of the court.
“Some would say the Supreme Court is putting its thumb on the scale of justice here, refusing to hold Donald Trump accountable for his actions,” Aronberg stated. “Jack Smith saw this possibility and went to the Supreme Court and said, ‘Hey, why don’t you come in now before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rules and let’s get this out of the way,’ and the Supreme Court said ‘No, no, no, that’s too early.’
Then after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a very thorough, very powerful ruling, the Supreme Court intervened anyway and that’s why so many of us are just so upset about what happened because the Supreme Court is supposed to be apolitical.”
He continued, “This does not look apolitical, and yet it looks like Trump will not get absolute immunity, but he wins by losing, as MSNBC legal analyst] Lisa Rubin said, by delaying this matter, by delaying the trial until after the election when he can become president and then call it all off.”
Aronberg elaborated on his prediction, “I do think it’s likely though that the Supreme Court will issue a ruling that will send the case back to Judge Chutkan for some fact-finding, to determine whether Trump’s conduct falls within his duties of office and whether there’s immunity, and so that will mean that there is no trial before the election.”
Despite the potential delay, Aronberg highlighted Judge Chutkan’s commitment to moving the case forward. “But Judge Chutkan, who is motivated to get this thing going, said she will cancel her vacation if necessary and could hold this public hearing where a lot of the evidence will come out into the public of Trump’s involvement in and before January 6, so Jack Smith could get a bit of a victory even if he loses,” he added.
This analysis underscores the ongoing legal complexities and the strategic maneuvers at play as the nation’s highest court navigates a highly charged political landscape. The outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision could have significant implications for the timing and trajectory of Trump’s legal battles.
