Most people approve of the Supreme Court’s decision to keep former President Donald Trump on the ballot, but they’re skeptical of his claim of absolute immunity from prosecution, which the justices will weigh this month, according to a new poll published Wednesday.
Fifty-six percent of adults said they approved of the high court’s ruling last month to keep Mr. Trump on the ballot, reasoning that states couldn’t remove him over challenges under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, known as the insurrection clause. It bans anyone who participated in an insurrection or rebellion from serving in office.
On March 4, the court ruled 9-0 against the Colorado Supreme Court, which sought to bar Mr. Trump’s name from the 2024 ballot because of the U.S. Capitol protest of Jan. 6, 2021.
Thirty-nine percent of poll respondents disapproved of the decision to keep him on the ballot, according to the results from Wednesday’s Marquette Law School poll.
Respondents, though, overwhelmingly disagree with the notion that former presidents should enjoy absolute immunity from criminal prosecutions. Sixty-two percent said they should not, while 20% said they should.
Mr. Trump has claimed absolute immunity from federal charges stemming from his challenge to the 2020 election results brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
The Supreme Court is slated to weigh the former president’s immunity claim on April 25 after a lower court ruled against him.
A majority of those surveyed also said the high court should maintain access to the abortion pill, specifically the drug mifepristone, in another highly watched case this term.
Last week, the justices heard a challenge to the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to let the abortion pill be distributed through the mail, eliminating doctor visits and allowing it to be used for a longer period during pregnancy, from seven weeks to 10 weeks.
Pro-life medical providers challenged the FDA’s move to ease the restrictions, and a lower court initially sided with them. The high court, though, put that ruling on hold while it weighs the issue.
A ruling in the abortion pill dispute and Mr. Trump’s absolute immunity claim is expected by the end of June.
Marquette Law School’s poll also found that approval of the Supreme Court has increased since February by 7 points.
The survey was conducted by interviewing 1,000 adults nationwide from March 18-28. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 points.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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