Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer vowed Thursday to work on legislation that would target former President Donald Trump’s actions surrounding Jan. 6, 2021, and his contest of the 2020 election results.
In a post on X, the New York Democrat said “MAGA Justices” on the Supreme Court can’t crown Mr. Trump as king and allow him to escape criminal liability.
“We were all taught in grade school that there are no kings here in America, but what the MAGA Justices have done is placed a crown on Donald Trump’s head. I am working in the Senate on legislation to clarify that Trump’s election-subversion acts do not count as official acts,” Mr. Schumer said in his post.
His comment comes after the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that presidents have immunity from prosecution for core presidential functions and presumed immunity for other official acts.
But the justices, in the 6-3 ruling, said a president does not have immunity for nonofficial acts.
The case was brought by Mr. Trump, who claimed he had absolute immunity from criminal charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
One of Mr. Smith’s cases against Mr. Trump is pending in Washington, D.C., where the former president is facing four charges related to election fraud stemming from his challenge of the 2020 election and actions on Jan. 6, 2021, during the U.S. Capitol riot.
Mr. Smith also has a case pending against Mr. Trump in the Southern District of Florida where he charges the former president with mishandling classified documents.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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