Former President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that he has ‘total immunity’ from criminal prosecution over his conduct on Jan. 6.
“Very interesting, because until recently the political Hacks and Thugs of the highly partisan January 6th Unselect Committee were seldom talking about your favorite President, me, as it related to the PROTEST on Election Fraud,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Monday.
He continued: “NUMBER ONE, as President, I have total Immunity. Number two, I did nothing wrong. Then the Committee members, mostly the same sleaze that pushed the Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX, started saying that ‘Trump’ did it. Even Shifty Schiff got into the act again. SAD!!!”
Trump has sought to dismiss lawsuits filed against him regarding his actions in the White House using the argument of absolute immunity. However, legal experts say that has limits.
“Trump is continually attempting to hide behind the immunity offered to presidents acting in their official duties as president. In Trump’s very unusual presidency, however, he attempted acts that arguably exceed the boundaries of his official duties,” Rachel Fiset, co-founder and managing partner of Zweiback, Fiset & Zalduendo law firm told Newsweek. “For instance, seeking to overturn an election illegally and disenfranchise voters for his own gain can be found to go beyond official duties and cross into acts that are ‘purely political’ and therefore subject to liability.”
Trump’s latest rant comes after the Jan. 6 committee referred him on four criminal charges to the Department of Justice for his conduct on the day of the Capitol attack.
The Jan. 6 committee’s criminal referrals accuse Trump of obstructing an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the government, making knowingly and willfully materially false statements to the federal government, and inciting or assisting an insurrection.
The committee also released their report in which they accused Trump of being the “central cause” of the insurrection at the Capitol.
