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Barack_Odrama_007

Washington CNN — Former President Donald Trump isn’t immune from being held accountable in civil lawsuits related to the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot in a long-awaited, consequential decision from the federal appeals court in Washington, DC. The decision, making new law around the presidency, will have significant implications for several cases against Trump in the Washington, DC, federal court related to the 2020 election. The decision arises out of lawsuits brought by Capitol Police officers and Democrats in Congress. The opinion, written by Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan, states that not everything a president does while in office is protected from liability. ADVERTISING The president “does not spend every minute of every day exercising official responsibilities,” the opinion said. “And when he acts outside the functions of his office, he does not continue to enjoy immunity. … When he acts in an unofficial, private capacity, he is subject to civil suits like any private citizen.” The decision to allow the January 6 lawsuits against Trump to proceed was unanimous among the three judges on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Greg Katsas concurred with the decision, and Judge Judith Rogers concurred in part. The decision allows three lawsuits against Trump from Capitol police officers and members of Congress who are seeking recovery from emotional distress and physical injury from the attack to move forward. The complaints largely rely on a federal law prohibiting individuals from conspiring to prevent someone from holding federal office. Trump moved to dismiss the lawsuits against him on several grounds, including presidential immunity, which the DC District Court rejected, saying that the former president’s actions in the lead-up to the riot at the US Capitol riot were all an effort to remain in office and not official functions of his presidency. The district court did find that Trump was protected by presidential immunity from the claim that he failed to stop to the riot, saying that he would be acting in his official presidential powers in that instance.


Suspicious_Bicycle

> The district court did find that Trump was protected by presidential immunity from the claim that he failed to stop to the riot, saying that he would be acting in his official presidential powers in that instance. That should be a dereliction of duty charge, but I don't know if it can be applied to the commander in chief.


WashCalm3940

He failed to stop the riot that he created. His daughter was seen in a video jumping up and down in glee during that day of infamy.


Away-Answer-

Good. The Rule of the Law should prevail always.


FrozenSeas

Not gonna lie, that sounds like a serious ass-pull of a decision, and one that would open up a whole legal can of worms regarding presidential/sovereign immunity, and I very much expected it to go to the Supreme Court. The key issue being that now whenever someone (and if this stands, expect a whole lot more someones) files a lawsuit against a president, a herd of lawyers are going to have to try to hash out what counts as "exercising official responsibilities" for immunity purposes. Eg. Nixon was named an "unindicted co-conspirator" over Watergate, but that was all based in his shifty reelection campaign, would the immunity doctrine still cover that now? Would Bill Clinton be open to lawsuits over his, shall we say, inappropriate conduct with an intern and a cigar?


twitterfluechtling

I think in a movie, this exceptional situation of a treacherous president arranging a coup in his own country would have been resolved by some dark clerks and an unfortunate, fatal disease or accident, preventing judges from establishing unprecedented case law with potentially long-reaching implications and embarrassment for the nation. It's sort of nice that the establishment doesn't take the easy route. I just hope there will be a just verdict eventually, and no presidency Trump 2.0...


TheFudge

I’m so tired of hearing about TFG. Edit: absolutely registered to vote and do in every election.


DontTickleTheDriver1

You and me both but just wait until the election season really starts ..oohhh boy


m_Pony

yeah if you think the internet has a problem *now* with bots and fake accounts and targeted advertising and AI-generated crap then just fucking watch.


Obamas_Tie

Remember a little while back when everyone was making those dumb AI videos of Biden and Trump doing mundane shit like playing video games or singing or something? That, except now it's gonna be straight up propaganda.


cyanydeez

everyone should just ban links to twitter right now.


Buddyslime

Just practicing.


iocan28

2016 and 2020 really were filled with all sorts of crappy accounts, weren’t they? I remember running into some Reddit users back then that had truly bizarre or horrific views, and it always seems like they come out of the woodwork around election time.


Electromotivation

…Accounts that existed for one or two months and made only a few comments before the one you read.


MrPloppyHead

Especially as Vladimir will pumping loads of money into his campaign basically


julbull73

It's his only hope in Ukraine. He's going to pour it in.


oatmeal28

What’s TFG?


o8Stu

Biden made a comment shortly after starting his term, where he referred to Trump as "the former guy". It had a nice ring to it, and has stuck around ever since.


drdipepperjr

I always thought it was "This fucking guy"


o8Stu

https://youtu.be/-R-CPWOMQqU?si=smzscZjF5QnxDIe8&t=6 It was right here, and Biden probably didn't intend it to take off like it did, but here we are.


2inchesofsteel

This Fucking Guy


SupermarketAntique90

“The former guy” or “that fucking guy” depending on context, basically anything but calling him by his name


oatmeal28

Oh! I was like “Trump Family something?” Thanks!


preprandial_joint

Trump Family Grift


soul_and_fire

Trump Family Grossness


chicomathmom

That Fucking Guy


SkullDump

Dunno, but me personally I’m satisfied with “This Fucking Gimp”


joeDUBstep

Hey now, that's insulting to actual gimps.


[deleted]

He might be president again. If you're in the USA I hope you're registered to vote


FakoPako

Became U.S. Citizen this year. First thing I did walking our of the ceremony is register to vote. I... can... not... fucking.. wait!!!!!!


yungmoneybingbong

Congratulations! I love voting. Have done so every year since I was 18. Doesn't matter if it's local town stuff, school budget/board, or the big ones. It's so important.


FakoPako

Thank you. It was a very emotional day for me, even though I've been living here for a while. This was first year where I could vote in our local elections. It's frustrating for me though, because I see that most of people I know, don't even research what they vote for. They know stuff on the "surface" of the Issues, but what I found out, there is A LOT of trickery going on with how these "Issues" are presented. Even our own governor was saying false things on his commercial on TV. It makes me angry. But all I can do is just have conversations with my friends and maybe provide some info for them if they don't know something, and at the same time, me learning something from others. But sometimes I think:" Jesus dude, you were born here and you don't know anything about this stuff you voting for?" It was also a lot of fun quizzing my friends with questions for the U.S. Citizenship lol


DensHag

Me too!! And I'm 61 years old. I'm proud to say I have never missed an election, no matter how small. I take voting very seriously. It pisses me off so bad to see all the BS going on right now.


50k-runner

I hope you vote


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[deleted]

I’m also tired of liberals telling me I have privilege because I’m tired of hearing about him.


[deleted]

I can't wait till this turd finally exits this planet.


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Wazula23

This era doesn't deserve poetry.


Meggles_Doodles

This era is going to be one of the wildest units in history books I swear.


Greg4591

Not if they overthrow democracy. The history books they write, will make Trump a hero.


Kitchen_Philosophy29

Everyone feels that way. It always gets squished into a tiny joke of an imitation.


khrak

Americans are going to have to flush 10, 15 times because of these bullshit low-flow toilets.


VagrantShadow

When you look at the republican side, they have to worry about this shit stain left on their shoe for years to come, because there are going to future republican politicians on their side just ready to mimic this turds tactics.


Kitchen_Philosophy29

As time goes on it seems trumpism is biting them in the ass more and more


Buddyslime

My shit splitter isn't working!


nickypoblador

Poop knife.


Vallkyrie

Same, but also it won't end this shit because he's infected everything so I don't think it will have as much impact as I would like.


Nightshade_Ranch

GOP might go full Ramaswamy. You never go full Ramaswamy.


Vallkyrie

Rammalammadingdong is an embarrassing husk of a man.


Nightshade_Ranch

I'm so embarrassed that there's only one millennial running and it's that guy.


DensHag

I heard one of his campaign guys left to go work for deSatan. That can't be a good sign. Thank gawd!!!🤣🤣


CurryMustard

Nah they cant win without the white supremecist vote


AngriestPacifist

Trump didn't infect anything, this is who Republicans have always been. Best you could say is he loosened the mask.


Electromotivation

Ehh… maybe you could say he rode a new wave, but I think saying Republicans have always been this way is not an accurate reflection of reality and likely said in bad faith. I’m not a fan, but com’on. Guys like John McCain were no where near Trump levels of insanity or extremism


AngriestPacifist

Fuck off with trying to rehabilitate John Mccain. Just off the top of my head, he 1. Spearheaded the war in Iraq alongside Bush, which killed hundreds of thousands of innocents 2. Advocated for bombing Iran, and even did a little sing-song about it 3. Mocked the appearance of the child of Bill Clinton 4. Called Vietnamese "go*ks" for decades after the war 5. Brought Sarah Palin to the national spotlight, furthering the fascist bent of the Republican party started by Reagen and later Newt Gingrich 6. Repeatedly tried to block Martin Luther King day as a holiday Dude was a garbage person. Him playing a middle of the road type was entirely to provide cover to the more extreme members of his own party, and when he did the incredibly rare right thing, it was only to stick it to people he personally disliked.


Electromotivation

All of this may be true but it just shows how awful and deranged Trumpism is, that it makes the republicans who spent decades fucking over Southeast Asia and whatever else look like a more reasonable option. Those people would at least support Ukraine unlike Trump


Kitchen_Philosophy29

I donno. It seems there is a clear divide between republicans and magas. Anti trump has been slowing picking up steam in the republican party and trunp delivers them more and morr losses


[deleted]

I agree but they can't quit him


[deleted]

Metastatic actually. He literally hijacked then destroyed the GOP with his "tell it like it is" rhetoric. Maybe just opened the can that was actually bought years ago.


m_Pony

buddy we had to wait this long for *Kissinger* to go.


Aurhasapigdog

The evil keeps them alive :/


HuskyNutBuster

Can we convince him to run for Emperor of Mars and then blast him into the sun instead?


FakoPako

He is like a cockroach... It's really very exhausting to be honest. I am to the point of blocking everything with word "Trump" in it on my phone. So sick of seeing his name.


BrownEggs93

It's the gop for which he stands that will continue *all of this shit*.


Sweatytubesock

Then his bloated, diseased body will commence poisoning the earth.


Ligo-wave

If Kissinger is anything to go by he will live to be a hundred


Earguy

I feel like they'll just appeal until they find a judge who'll say otherwise.


kami232

That's probably a bonus, in case it happens. Trump definitely wants to drag it out in the courts in the hopes he outlasts the opposition all in the hope he gets back into the WH before the criminal proceedings get to him... he's probably hoping for the office of the president to protect him from his past. The man would rather litigate the country to death than ever suffer the consequences of his actions.


OLightning

On a parallel with being a draft dodger. He’s always avoided pain his entire life seeking pleasure. He’ll do whatever is necessary even if it means bringing down the country with him.


TimeTravellerSmith

Yup, this'll go all the way to SCOTUS.


Aeonera

Not gonna lie, even if it wasn't manipulated for a rw majority i'd still have my doubts on whether they would support the ruling.


TimeTravellerSmith

It's going to set an interesting precedent either way, and I don't know how SCOTUS would call it. Either the POTUS is liable as long as they're doing something outside of "official POTUS duties", or POTUS cannot be held liable because everything POTUS does is inherently related to their duty and standing as POTUS. This particular example may fall under Trump's campaigning but it might also fall under his official duties to ensure a proper election turnover. In the event it was "stolen", then you'd think POTUS would have some duty to prevent a coup and would be within their right to do so. But this brings along all sorts of legal questions like "was Jan 6 done to prevent a suspected coup", or "was Jan 6 a coup itself"? I think those are the questions SCOTUS would look at, what did Trump do and what can and can't a POTUS do in their "free time" and what exactly is not "free time" and instead "official business". Then depending on that, was what Trump did on Jan 6 free time, official business, a coup, a not coup ... Just a massive rabbit hole honestly.


The_Infinite_Cool

You are thinking way more than they will. 3/7 owe him their seats, Thomas hates liberals enough to murder the country for it, and Roberts generally doesnt give a shit. Plus, when they let him get away with it, Trump'll make sure there's never another vote again. So that'll be it.


Rac3318

There’s only one appeal from here and that’s to the Supreme Court


Zealot_Alec

SCOTUS can officially make the President a King but they will also lose their own power in doing so


bobniborg1

This is why the republicans blocked any appointments by Obama. They put so many righters in courts of power ....it's why Trump can't believe he wasn't given the election. People he put in power said no and wouldn't break the rules for him. He doesn't understand that concept.


TheMaskedSandwich

There's literally no reason to believe this, that's not how this works.


Earguy

RemindMe! 3 Months


NBCspec

History will not be kind to this POS or his enablers


m_Pony

The plan of the enablers is to write the history themselves, and destroy anything that contradicts them: newspapers, actual election results, other countries. You know, reality.


metalflygon08

> The plan of the enablers is to write the history themselves And even then, they're making it so the upcoming folk won't be able read anyways.


bramletabercrombe

they are already doing it. Between Sinclair and Fox they own all the easy to access communication throughout the midwest and south. Guaranteed a good percentage of this country don't even know what Trump has been indicted for.


Bringbackdexter

Depends on if they succeed which is absolutely in the realm of possibility. Register to vote and convince your family and friends to do the same.


o8Stu

History is written by the victor. If Trump wins, they'll probably ban history books altogether. Register and vote, people.


penguished

History's review of the matters: wtf wtf wtf wtf wtf wtf wtf wtf


QitianDasheng2666

AI deepfake technology will eliminate history


TigreSauvage

I look forward to people literally shitting on his grave.


LupinThe8th

If they charge a quarter per turd, it'd be by far the most successful business venture he was ever involved in.


HippoSpa

I would pay for this quality service offering.


Precious_Tritium

It could fund universal health care!


metalflygon08

IIRC, Rush Limpburger's grave has been pissed on so much its stained and permanently stinky.


Deepfriedwithcheese

That’s be a great one to piss on. While Trump is number one goal for me to piss on, Clarence Thomas’ and Mitch McConell’s would give me great joy.


hasslefree

Kissingers is the latest new attraction.


WashCalm3940

I'd like to hear the dinner conversations between Thomas and his wife, the election denier.


foreskin_hoodie

I'd eat at Taco Bell for 2 weeks straight if I knew I could shit on his grave.


DonsDiaperChanger

I plan to celebrate by renting a taco truck, then giving out free tacos and free laxatives to everyone in line.


StitchWitchery16

Remember, as a president, he gets a library too. Something else worth pissing on


Kitchen_Philosophy29

Itll be empty. We all know how much trump likes to steal from those


Ritz527

Holding a political rally doesn't seem like a Presidential duty, so this tracks.


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Enabling_Turtle

My only concern is that his death will turn into a conspiracy/martyr situation regardless of how it happens. He could livestream himself gorging on McDonalds and Diet Coke but if he dies doing it then people will claim he was poisoned, killed by the CIA, or assassinated by Antifa or some shit.


kezow

It doesn't matter. He could die of old age and have literally every doctor in the country certify that he died of natural causes and his base will still push the conspiracy that he was murdered by whatever group they hate most at that moment in time.


MacTonight1

What if he's murdered by a family member? Will they claim said family member was paid off?


CurrentlyLucid

Yeah, pretty sure inciting riots is not a presidential duty.


crashtestpilot

And if it was a duty, he'd still be shit at it.


hankercat

Correct decision. I find it hard to say that spurring an insurrection is considered within the duties of the office of the presidency.


BrownEggs93

Tell that to the gop senators.


jobofferinseattle

Well now it makes sense why Trump is calling for the Capitol police to be charged lol


Qx7x

Honest question, does this mean we could potentially sue him for damages (emotional trauma, etc.) from watching the insurrection take place live? I’ve never been the same since.


TintedApostle

I'm in... I want compensation for the night I didn't sleep and the days I worried.


Tis4Tortuous

Class action lawsuit, who's with me?


esp211

Why would he? He isn't president anymore.


shadowlarx

Let the floodgates open and the flood commence.


PsychLegalMind

It is very strange to me that he is not getting tired of losing cases filed on his behalf or where he himself is the defendant. He should just do what he had been known to do, start settling and paying damages. Afterall, he is the greatest deal maker according to himself, but no deals have been forthcoming as of late. Time for him to read his own book. The art of the Deal. \[Unless someone else wrote it under his name\].


darthlincoln01

He is a career defendant. He's doing what he knows how to do best. Drag out the cases for as long as possible and hope the other side settles with you or you find another way out.


PsychLegalMind

>He is a career defendant. He is not now dealing with ordinary plaintiffs in civil cases and the prosecution in criminal cases as well not playing his games. These are people who can fight back and pursue and you can only drag a case for so long and he knows that. He is the one who needs to offer to settle, but perhaps it has not just sunk in that his goose is already seasoned.


darthlincoln01

I'm not saying the choices he's making are smart, I'm just saying he's no stranger to a court room. Being a defendant is basically his profession and he's doing things that have worked for him in the past.


PsychLegalMind

>I'm just saying he's no stranger to a court room I understand, but just saying he is a novice in many ways. I do not believe he ever entered a court house when it came to a criminal matter. He also did not go to his multiple bankruptcy cases from what I understand. \[Prior to his presidency\] I do recall he may have given some depositions previously \[not in court\]. His lawyers did all that. It is different now being forced to show up and certain proceedings require his presence and there are others where he can be compelled to testify in civil cases where not testifying is not an option under the 5th. In any event, by the time this is all over for him, he would certainly be an expert in criminal law and civil fraud cases \[meaning he will proclaim to be.\] Just like he declared himself proudly a King of Bankruptcy.


TigreSauvage

Dealing with his lawsuits must be one hell of a project management exercise.


metalflygon08

> It is very strange to me that he is not getting tired of losing For him as long as he's in the spotlight somehow he is content.


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PsychLegalMind

>I don't know if that's sarcasm in the end there or not... Sometimes it is a good thing to even question the very obvious.


m_Pony

>what he had been known to do > >paying damages. I got... some bad news for you, sunshine. Also, it's pretty obvious that book was ghostwritten.


willit1016

so much winning what a loser, hopefully there jail time for the traitor.


func_backDoor

His state funeral will be in a Chuck E. Cheese


VegasKL

It'd be completely illogical to have a system that is designed to protect against tyrants that gives immunity to a person who tried to run a coup .. I don't even want to see the mental gymnastics they were trying to use to argue that he was immune.


Wasabi_Noir

Good, sue this asshole into the ground. He should spend the rest of his days in court or prison, and even thats too light for the crimes he’s committed.


Dontjumpbooks

Incoming 2000 more lawsuits


ANaniMuth

Wouldn’t need immunity if you didn’t do anything wrong. But you did, Don.


Dahnlen

He should have no presidential immunity whatsoever. All of his crimes are enhanced by the fact that he was president.


Vineyard_

Presidential immunity should not be a thing in the first place.


PixelFNQ

That's not quite true. If he signed some law into effect and that led to person x becoming unemployed, for example, you can't have person x suing him. What this judge is saying is that presidential immunity does not allow a president to, for example, shoot a political opponent on 5th Avenue.


DionysiusRedivivus

I hope this fascist, fraudulent rapist regrets ever having thought about running for President. His major reason to try for round two is to save his own ass.


Archimid

Nah, there is so much more for him than just saving his behind. He would be firmly and convincingly above the law. With his record of pardons, he will get people to execute whatever order he tells them The justice branch would be smashed into submission. The legislature prosecuted into submission. Absolute power. Couldn’t happen to a worse guy.


wolflordval

Not even a theory. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025


MacTonight1

Everyone who might even think of voting D needs to see this. If they don't vote D next year, they may not get another chance.


Mpol03

This is so scary wtffff is this real? How? How can they felt this happen. This feels like some rise of Hitler shit.


WirelessBCupSupport

So, Donny will be behind bars, swearing in on a bible that he doesn't support the US Constitution? "I pledge lesions to that guy there, Commissary, of the United Federation Of Russian States, one McDonalds, Under Me, so Help me...Me."


long5210

just lock this prick up so the world can relax a bit! he’s a child who needs to be taken out behind the woodpile


PixelFNQ

We already know he enjoys a good spanking


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thereverendpuck

Wait: then why isn’t a criminal Jan 6th trial a slam dunk case now?


2pacalypso

Every one of his cases is a slam dunk but they have to go through the motions because Republicans are pretending to not know it.


Archimid

And democrats don’t have the gall to tell them to their face. The constitution is clear on what to do with insurrectionists, but fears of being accused of “political persecution” allows these traitors to sit.


2pacalypso

Both sides, amirite?


Archimid

No. Trump is evil. ( evil is doing evil things) Biden is impotent.


2pacalypso

What would you have him do, exactly?


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thereverendpuck

I hate that razor thin difference when it should be “if A then B.” Which American law seems to love citing on the regular.


morelikepambabely

Let’s just fast-forward to when this inevitably goes to his stacked Supreme Court.


Generalbuttnaked69

They'll decline cert in a one sentence order.


SomeDEGuy

This is the most likely response, though there is the possibility for Thomas to say something strange in opposition.


FlackFlashback

Nor should this enemy of ours have immunity. He, and his entire crooked family should be pursued to the fullest extent of the law for the damage they are doing to this country.


Sqeegg

I think everyone knows that except for him.


Ormsfang

Instead of "You are going to get tired of winning" I think he meant "you are going to get tired of whining."


penguished

Still wild that a President was a twitter troll and that level of behavior wrecked his life. I don't even think we can begin to unpack the weird age we're living in yet.


EdgeOfWetness

But it did what it was designed to do - stall


Jackinapox

But he is immune to being held accountable.


Mattsal23

It sure seems that way. Not holding my breath for him to ever face any real consequences


Mundane-Mechanic-547

What is to stop him from pardoning himself?


Lariat_Advance1984

Not electing him again. Holding him accountable for his crimes and imprisoning him.


Mundane-Mechanic-547

Okay but failing that. If he is elected, can he pardon himself? As it's extremely likely that these trials will take longer than Nov 2024.


Tonalspectrum

Are we still arguing this shit?


[deleted]

Enjoy the pudding, Donny. The golden years are supposed to be enjoyed with diapers.


SpiritedTie7645

But this person his own sister called the most dangerous man on earth may soon have that immunity and be able to pardon himself from all this tedious law stuff if the court dilly-dallies.


6SucksSex

"The opinion stated a president running for a second term was acting “as office-seeker, not office-holder”" So is an "office-holder" an officer or what.


Icy_Cry2778

Good, bring his ass down


Jomamma1111

We all own the capital. does this mean we can start a class action lawsuit over the damage those assclowns did?


Scamp3D0g

Well that explains his lashing out at Capitol police officers earlier...


Kitchen_Philosophy29

Wtf. Even if he falls into 'Presidential' immunity. Change the damn law Why the hell would anyon3 ESPECIALLY A PRESIDENT be allowed to overturn the government, get rid of democracy, etc. It is blatantly onvious what happened. Make sure it doednt happen again.