Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will introduce legislation Thursday reaffirming that presidents do not have immunity for criminal actions, an attempt to reverse the Supreme Court’s landmark decision last month.

Schumer’s No Kings Act would attempt to invalidate the decision by declaring that presidents are not immune from criminal law and clarifying that Congress, not the Supreme Court, determines to whom federal criminal law is applied.

The court’s conservative majority decided July 1 that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken within their official duties — a decision that threw into doubt the Justice Department’s case against Republican former President Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.

Schumer, of New York, said that Congress has an obligation and the constitutional authority to check the Supreme Court on its decision.

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Certainly not going to pass (1) as long as there is a filibuster in the Senate and (2) as long as Republicans control the House.

    Of course even if it does pass someday, what does anyone think the odds are that there would be 5 votes on the current SCOTUS to uphold it?

    But I’m all for making Republicans block it.

    • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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      3 months ago

      it’s to make republicans unambiguously invalidate their own “we don’t want a dictatorship” claims

      • NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip
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        3 months ago

        And what does that accomplish?

        trump is already telling his followers to elect him and never have to vote again. project 2025 is a similar shitfest.

        This is the usual Democrat “we care about decorum”. It doesn’t impact the base of either party. And the “independent” voters aren’t actually all that independent and either already realize “Holy shit, this matters” or “Whatever. Douche and a turd sandwich”.

        • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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          3 months ago

          it seems like nothing accomplishes anything anymore: impeachments, convictions, even his own constant unintentional self sabotage doesn’t sink him

          doesn’t mean anyone should stop trying

          • NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip
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            3 months ago

            There are very clear options that are outright supported by the supreme court. Just like we had opportunities in the past to reinforce Roe v Wade or to replace supreme court justices before they died of old age.

            But, instead, we do these futile efforts to sound good in the hopes that politicians can bank enough cash before the republican firing squad comes for them.

        • Boddhisatva@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          It allows Democrats to run adds showing the middle-of-the-road, undecided voters what they’re going to get if they keep letting Republicans get elected. Those are the votes that we need to strive for. You will never convert Trump’s cult followers. It’s the independent voters that can save this nation but we have to get their attention and show them that what’s happening is not normal.

    • Asafum@feddit.nl
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      3 months ago

      But I’m all for making Republicans block it.

      They just blocked the moonshot program to find a cure for cancer.

      There is nothing that is blow them as they have massive propaganda outlets to give them cover. Only the conservatives who look outside their propaganda bubble will even understand what happened.

      (I fully realize they see “us” in the exact same way.)

    • brucethemoose@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      What’s the actual rationale though?

      For the cancer research, it was ostensibly too expensive. But what is the excuse now?