Trump seeks dismissal of D.C. case, saying he’s immune to prosecution
By Devlin Barrett and Perry SteinUpdated October 5, 2023 at 5:44 p.m. EDT | Published October 5, 2023 at 2:50 p.m. EDT
Lawyersforformerpresident DonaldTrump urgedafederaljudgeThursdaytotossouttheindictmentagainsthim forallegedlyconspiringto blocktheresultsofthe2020election,arguingthataspresidentatthetime,hewasacting withinthelegalboundaries“attheheartofoursystemofgovernment.”
TrumplawyersJohnLauroandToddBlanche,ina 46-pagefiling,arguethatTrumpisimmunetoprosecutionfor theactscitedintheindictmentfiledbyspecialcounselJackSmith—alegalclaimtheyhavebeenmakingsincethe indictmentwasfiledinAugust.
“AstheConstitution,theSupremeCourt,andhundredsofyearsofhistoryandtraditionallmakeclear,the President’smotivationsarenotfortheprosecutionorthisCourttodecide.Rather,where,ashere,thePresident’s actionsarewithintheambitofhisoffice,heisabsolutelyimmunefromprosecution,”thefilingargues.
Trumpdeniesthechargesleveledintheindictment—thatheconspiredtoobstructJoeBiden’s2020victoryinthe presidentialelection,andalsoconspiredagainstAmericans’righttovoteandhavethosevotescounted.Thedefense argumentfordismissal,however,isnotaboutwhetherTrumpdidwhatprosecutorsaccusehimofdoing,butrather whetherheisimmunefromprosecutionbecausehewaspresidentatthetime.
Inthefiling,Trump’sattorneysdetailsomeofthesamepost-election interactionsthatprosecutorsnoteinthe indictment,includingmeetingsandcommunicationswithJusticeDepartmentofficials.
Butintheirtelling,ifTrumpparticipatedinthesemeetingshewasactingwithintheboundsofhispresidency—not committingcrimesasprosecutorsallege.
Intheirmotion,thelawyersarguethatthecourtshavelongshieldedU.S.presidentsfromlawsuitsoveractions takenwhiletheywereservinginthatposition—andsaythesameprincipleshouldextendtocriminalprosecutions.
Thelawyersadd,however,thattheSupremeCourthasnotweighedinonthisissueofwhetherorwhenapresidentis immunetocriminalcharges—suggestingitcouldbealegaldebatetakenupnotjustbythetrialjudge, Tanya Chutkan,butanappealscourtorthehighestcourtintheland.
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“NocourthasaddressedwhethersuchPresidentialimmunityincludesimmunityfromcriminalprosecutionforthe President’sofficialact,”thelawyerswrote.Theyarguedthatthepropervenuetodecidetheguiltorinnocenceofa presidentisimpeachmentintheCongress.TrumpwasimpeachedbytheHouseofRepresentativesforactions surroundingJan.6butultimatelyacquittedbytheSenate.
TheJusticeDepartment’sfour-countindictmentchargesthatTrump’sactionsafterhelostthe2020election amountedtoacriminalconspiracytoremaininpower.Itisoneof fourfelonyprosecutions Trumpisfacing, includinga statetrialinGeorgia thatinvolvessimilarallegationsoftryingtoobstructtheelectionresultsinthat state;a federalindictmentinFlorida overTrump’sallegedhoardingofclassifieddocumentsafterleavingtheWhite Houseandobstructionofgovernmenteffortstoretrievetheinformation;anda state-levelcaseinNewYork inwhich Trumpisaccusedoffalsifyingbusinessrecordsinconnectionwithahushmoneypaymentmadeduringthe2016 electioncampaign.
Trump’slawyersintheNewYorkcasealsofileda dismissalmotionThursday
Blanche,whoisrepresentingTrumpinbothcases,andattorneySusanNechelesarguedthecasebroughtby ManhattanDistrictAttorneyAlvinBraggwasanunjusteffortthatreliedonnovellegaltheoriesandaproblematic witness.Theprobebeganin2019anddidnotyieldanindictmentuntilMarch,whichBlancheandNechelessaid constitutesaviolationofTrump’sdueprocessrights.
IntheD.C.motiontodismiss,BlancheandLauro wrotethatallegingthepresidentactedillegallydoesnot necessarilymeanthatheactedbeyond“theouterperimeter”ofhisjob,citingaSupremeCourtcasefromtheNixon era.TheyarguedthatifTrumpwasnotimmunetoprosecutionforhisactions,apresidenttheoreticallycouldbe subjectedtoatrialeverytimesomeoneallegedhewasactingillegally.
AnydecisionbyChutkanislikelytocomeafteracounter-argumentfromprosecutors,andpossiblyahearingonthe matter.
Legalexpertshavesaidthattheissueofpresidentialimmunityisonethatthehighercourtsmaytakeupbefore Trumpgoesontrial—arareexceptiontogeneralcourtpractice,whichsays mostappealsissuesmustwaituntilafter averdict.
Trump’sattorneysuggestedthattheymayfileadditionalpretrialmotionsincomingdays.Chutkanhassaidallsuch motionsmustbefiledbyMondayevening.
“Otherfataldeficienciesintheindictmentwillbeaddressedinfuturemotion(s)andproceeding(s),”thefilingstates.
ShaynaJacobsinNewYorkcontributedtothisreport.