Rubio says Trump immunity claims raise a ‘legitimate issue’

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) defended former President Trump’s claim that he is immune from prosecution for his actions surrounding the January 6th Capitol riot, saying the president is protected from possible future prosecution. He said he was under undue political pressure.

Trump’s lawyers are expected to argue the case before the Supreme Court next month, arguing the former president should not be indicted.

“I think there are legitimate issues here that need to be talked about in a big way, especially in light of what’s happened over the last three years,” Rubio said Sunday in an interview on ABC’s “This Week” with John Karl. said.

“Do we want to live in a country where the president’s opponents basically have a kind of usurpation against them throughout the president’s term and can say, ‘Don’t worry, when you leave office, we will?’ ?’ Either we’re going to indict you, or we’re going to come after you and charge you with this crime or that crime,” Rubio continued.

“Basically, in the country we live in now, if you’re the president right now, you have to be careful about what you do as president, whether it’s legal or illegal, even your policies.” We have to think about it,” he said. Added.

Trump’s lawyers have made similar arguments in their immunity pleas. In a Supreme Court filing last week, they argued immunity would protect the president from “actual intimidation.”

“Denial of impunity would effectively incapacitate all future presidents with intimidation and extortion while in office, subjecting them to years of trauma at the hands of their political opponents,” the filing states. It is written.

“That bleak scenario would produce a weak and vacuous president, and would therefore be disastrous for the entire American political system. This important consideration alone is sufficient to support the dismissal of this case. The problem presented will be solved.”

The Florida state senator and former Trump primary challenger used the opportunity to accuse other lawsuits against Trump of being politically motivated, particularly New York Attorney General Letitia James. named.

“Look at the prosecutions that are happening. An obviously partisan woman in New York is basically prosecuting the president over a loan issue. This is something no one has ever done before,” Rubio said. said. “That’s just one example. They’re going to bankrupt him and put him in jail.”