A leading Democrat in the US House of Representatives is working on a constitutional amendment in response to the Supreme Court’s landmark immunity ruling, seeking to reverse the decision to ensure that all presidents are equal in the eyes of the law.
Top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York, notified his colleagues in a letter of his intent to file the resolution, which originally would amount to a cumbersome amendment process.
“This amendment will do what the Supreme Court of the United States failed to do — prioritize our democracy,” Morelle said in a statement to a news agency.
While referring to Donald Trump, Morelle, the US Representative for New York’s 25th congressional district, said the former president “must be held accountable for his decisions. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and stand with me on the front line to protect our democracy.”
The move by Morelle is the first and most significant legislative response so far to the decision this week from the court’s conservative majority, which did not go down well with officials at the White House. Thee ruling also attracted a sharp dissent from the court’s liberal justices warning of the implications to democracy, particularly as Trump seeks re-election to the White House. From all indications, the move seems not to stand a chance of succeeding in this Congress.
Presenting his judgement on behalf of the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken in their official capacity, a decision that throws into doubt the Justice Department’s cases against Trump, including his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
Source: AP
