According to a report by the New York Post on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, President Biden has made a forceful call for accountability, insisting that former President Donald Trump must face trial for his alleged role in the January 6th Capitol insurrection before the upcoming election.
This demand comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to grant Trump absolute immunity from prosecution for “official acts” committed during his presidency.
Biden addressed the nation from the red-carpeted Cross Hall, delivering a brief, four-minute speech where he read closely from teleprompters.
During his remarks, Biden highlighted the urgency and necessity of a timely trial for Trump, stating, “The man who sent that mob to the US Capitol is facing a potential criminal conviction for what happened that day and the American people deserve to have an answer in the courts before the upcoming election.”
He further emphasized that “the public has a right to know the answer about what happened on January 6 before they are asked to vote again this year.”
This strong stance from Biden highlights his belief in the importance of holding Trump accountable and ensuring transparency before the American public heads to the polls.
However, the president’s remarks were cut short as reporters bombarded him with questions about his own future in the race, which he chose to ignore.
A reporter loudly questioned, “Mr. President, will you drop out of the race?” as Biden turned to leave the lectern.
Despite calls from within his party for him to step aside following a lackluster debate performance against Trump, Biden remained resolute, dismissing speculation about withdrawing from the race.
He criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent by effectively placing the president above the law.
“There are virtually no limits on what a president can do,” Biden warned, describing the decision as establishing “a fundamentally new principle and it’s a dangerous precedent because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law.”
Biden aligned himself with Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent, which painted a grim picture of potential future abuses of presidential power.
Quoting Sotomayor, Biden said, “In every use of official power, the president is now a king above the law.
With fear for our democracy, I dissent.” Sotomayor’s dissent also included stark hypotheticals such as, “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.”
The Supreme Court’s majority ruling, penned by Chief Justice John Roberts, did not dismiss the criminal case against Trump entirely but sent it back to lower courts to determine what constitutes “official acts” in relation to the charges.
Roberts’ opinion maintained that “Like everyone else, the President is subject to prosecution in his unofficial capacity.
But unlike anyone else, the President is a branch of government, and the Constitution vests in him sweeping powers and duties.”
Trump, for his part, celebrated the ruling, declaring on Truth Social, “BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY.
PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!” This ruling represents a significant legal victory for Trump as he faces multiple legal challenges.
He is currently awaiting sentencing on felony counts in Manhattan, facing federal charges in South Florida for mishandling classified documents, and potential state charges in Georgia for alleged election-related crimes.
Despite these legal troubles, Trump continues to lead Biden in most national and swing-state polls, complicating the political terrain as the 2024 election approaches.
Biden’s forceful appeal for Trump’s trial before the election highlights the high stakes and the contentious nature of the upcoming electoral battle.
As Biden faces calls from within his party to step aside, he remains focused on what he sees as a fundamental issue of accountability and justice, urging the American people to render their judgment on Trump’s actions
