“Supreme Court Justices who exceed their judicial authority to affirm unethical or criminal behavior constitute an abominable threat to democracy.” John Johnson II, 06/19/24
By John Johnson II
Currently, Trump is on a turbulent anti-democratic mission to save his presidential aspirations and himself from facing imprisonment as a common criminal. His ability to openly garner support from Republican Congresspersons, SCOTUS’ six conservative justices, and complicit judges demonstrates his systemic threat to democracy.
Therefore, as unthinkable as it may seem, the imperative of jailing Trump becomes clear. It is a necessary step to safeguard our democracy. Once he’s behind bars, the true extent of his actions and threat to our democratic values will be revealed.
Remember Trump’s infamous quote, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?” This quote is only partially correct. Yes, he might not lose any MAGA voters. But if he’s indicted, tried, convicted, and issued a guilty verdict, he’s going to jail.
Let’s be clear: ‘Neither civil nor criminal immunity is directly or explicitly granted in the US Constitution or any federal statute.’ If SCOTUS were to assert that a sitting or former president is immune from criminal liability or persecution, it would effectively grant the president monarchical powers, placing them above the rule of law and threatening the very foundations of our democracy.
However, the Supreme Court’s ruling would be unconstitutional. Its decision would constitute an amendment to the Constitution. Article V of the US Constitution explicitly delineates procedures that only Congress can and must follow to amend the Constitution. Consequently, SCOTUS would exceed its judicial authority if it granted Trump absolute immunity.
YOU BE THE JUDGE!
