Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell maintained his earlier remarks that presidents shouldn’t be completely shielded from criminal prosecution for their official acts.
Following the conclusion of Donald Trump’s second impeachment hearing on Thursday, NBC News’ Kristen Welker questioned McConnell on remarks he made in 2021. Although McConnell voted with the majority to clear Trump of any wrongdoing in the fatal attack on the Capitol building on January 6, he nonetheless accused Trump of encouraging the unrest and declared that former presidents were “not immune from being held accountable” in the event of civil lawsuits or criminal prosecutions.
Pointing to the case that is presently going before the court, which Trump brought in an attempt to evade federal prosecution over his attempts to rig the 2020 election, McConnell stated on Thursday, “That was my view, but I don’t make that decision.
It is obvious that the president requires immunity; otherwise, he would be in court often. Thus, we’ll have to wait and see how the Supreme Court rules,” he stated.
The Supreme Court seemed prepared to reject Trump’s claims of sweeping immunity and the extensive protections he has sought to end the federal election subversion case on Thursday, following almost three hours of oral arguments. The former president argues that he is immune from criminal prosecution since the behavior Smith accused him of was related to his official responsibilities as president.
The relationship between McConnell and Trump is tense. The two have not spoken for more than three years, according to a January CNN article. In addition, McConnell—who is leaving his position as the Republican leader of the Senate in November—has been under fire from Trump and other party members about McConnell’s support for Ukraine and his sporadic willingness to engage in dialogue with Democrats.
Nevertheless, McConnell gave Trump his support in March, not long after the former president won big in contests throughout the nation on Super Tuesday. According to McConnell, Trump has gained the “requisite support of Republican voters” to be the nominee for the Republican Party.
McConnell released a statement saying, “It should come as no surprise that he will have my support as nominee.”
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