this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2024
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The ruling answered a question that an appeals court had never addressed: Can former presidents escape being held accountable by the criminal justice system for things they did while in office?

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

The question is novel because no former president until Mr. Trump had been indicted, so there was never an opportunity for a defendant to make — and courts to consider — the sweeping claim of executive immunity that he put forward.

I am not defending the crimes of past Presidents as I do not think they are defensible. (Of those listed, the internment camps make me especially sick).

But, I do think this case is novel because none of those presidents were actually indicted on their crimes and therefore never actually set a legal precedent as to whether they could abuse the Office of the President to skirt the law.

From the way I see it, it was always an ambiguous gray area and this case will change that. It will be the official, legal precedent.

The President will always have to make tough decisions, and some of them to be terrible. It is my opinion though that they should not be above the law.