Southern California House Democrats quickly condemned the U.S. Supreme Court’s immunity decision on former President Donald Trump.
The nation’s highest court, in a historic 6-3 ruling Monday morning, said former presidents do have immunity from prosecution for official acts. The justices told lower courts to figure out how to apply that decision to Trump’s case, where he faces charges that he plotted to overturn the 2020 election loss.
“Today, a corrupt Supreme Court protected a corrupt president,” Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine said on X, formerly called Twitter. “Donald Trump has only, and will ever only, look out for one person — himself. The Supreme Court says narcissists like him can do whatever self-dealing they want in the White House.”
Today, a corrupt Supreme Court protected a corrupt president.
Donald Trump has only, and will ever only, look out for one person—himself.
The Supreme Court says narcissists like him can do whatever self-dealing they want in the White House.
— Rep. Katie Porter (@RepKatiePorter) July 1, 2024
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, said the “court can no longer be counted on to defend the constitution.”
“This 6-3 Supreme Court and this dangerous immunity ruling is a result of one man: Donald Trump. He appointed three extreme judges and is now exploiting the powers of the president in ways that were once unthinkable,” he said.
“A dark day,” said Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena. “The MAGA justices continue to shield Trump from accountability for trying to throw out Americans’ votes and overturn the results of the 2020 election. In so doing, they shred one of our founding principles: that presidents are not kings.”
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Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Los Angeles, accused the “extreme justices” on the court of making things up to protect the former president, in a statement on X.
“Nowhere in the constitution does the word immunity appear,” he said. “This is radical judicial activism by the MAGA Justices.”
Lieu also shared a section of Justice Sonya Sotomayer’s dissenting opinion, which is quickly going viral, in which she lists all of the potential acts a president could now be deemed immune for committing: “Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune,” Sotomayer said.
Trump quickly touted the decision as a win, but regional Republicans, meanwhile, are largely holding their tongues.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Garvey, through a spokesperson, declined to comment. Lance Trover, a spokesperson for Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach, declined to comment on the Supreme Court’s decision, instead asking about her Democratic opponent Derek Tran’s support for President Joe Biden following last week’s debate.
As was the case with Trump’s hush money verdict, Golden State Republicans are treading a delicate line between maintaining party loyalty and not alienating the independent voters they need to win in November.
The Democratic Party of Orange County condemned the ruling, saying the Supreme Court has “again, utterly failed the people.”
“Now, it’s up to the people to stop a renegade former president. Vote November 5,” the party said on social media.
This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated throughout the day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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