Exclusive: Former President Trump “believes he is above the Supreme Court” after New York judge Juan Melchan “barred” him from attending Thursday’s presidential immunity argument. He told Fox News Digital that the case was “the most important case in recent years” before the high court trial. court.
The former president and presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee spoke exclusively to Fox News Digital on Wednesday after spending the final two days in a Manhattan courtroom for opening arguments and witness testimony in an unprecedented criminal trial. He spoke clearly.
President Trump had requested to appear before the Supreme Court when it holds oral arguments on Thursday regarding the ex-president’s immunity, but Judge Marchand, who is presiding over the trial, denied the request.
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President Trump said: “Because he thinks he’s above the Supreme Court, he’s barring me from going to presidential immunity hearings where great jurists will argue this case.” “This case is the most important case before the Supreme Court in years.” Fox News Digital.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule in June on whether President Trump is immune from prosecution by special counsel Jack Smith for 2020 election interference.
Former President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York City on April 15 as jury selection begins in Manhattan Criminal Court. (Fox News Digital Probe Media)
“Without presidential prerogatives, the office of president would become a mere ceremonial position and fall from grace,” he continued. “He forbids me to go. He’s a radical left-wing Democrat.”
When President Trump requested that he attend Supreme Court arguments last week, Marchan told his lawyer, “Arguing before the Supreme Court is a big deal, and your client would like to attend arguments before the Supreme Court.” I can certainly understand why.”
“But a trial in the New York Supreme Court is also important,” Marchand said last week, and on Thursday called on the former president to appear in a Manhattan courtroom rather than the high court in Washington, D.C.
The Supreme Court’s decision on the issue of presidential immunity is expected to be handed down by late June.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump on 34 counts of first-degree falsification of business records. Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
President Trump told Fox News Digital: “Nearly every legal scholar and expert in the country says this case should never have been filed, there was no crime, everything was done properly, this case should have been filed immediately. “It should be withdrawn,” he said. Wednesday.
“This is an embarrassment to crooked Joe Biden and his rightful supporters, the Democratic Party, and the judge is completely inconsistent, completely inconsistent,” he said.
In this courtroom sketch, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo makes his opening statement as former President Donald Trump looks on before Judge Juan Marchan with his attorney Todd Blanche. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
President Trump told Fox News Digital: “If the reason for falsifying business records is because a bookkeeper listed “legal expenses” when paying for litigation, then that’s not falsification.” “They call it legal costs, and that’s what they were. It was legal costs.”
He added: “These are the legal costs paid to the lawyer. We call them legal costs.”
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Former President Donald Trump (left) has spent most of the past two weeks in Manhattan Criminal Court before Judge Juan Machan. (Angela Weiss/AFP, AP, via POOL/AP)
Mr. Trump’s criminal trial stemming from Mr. Smith’s investigation has been put on hold pending a Supreme Court ruling on whether Mr. Trump is immune from prosecution.
Smith charged the former president with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstructing and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. These charges stem from Smith’s investigation into whether President Trump was involved in the January 6 Capitol riot and allegations of interference in the 2020 election results.
Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges in August.
Meanwhile, Trump also requested that he be absent from court on May 17 to attend his youngest son Barron’s high school graduation.
“The other thing is that a judge has prohibited me from attending my son’s high school graduation. My son, Barron, has studied very hard and is a very good student,” Trump said. told FOX News Digital. “He won’t be able to see his father at graduation because of a totally contradictory and vicious judge.”
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Trump added: “He should never be allowed to do this.”
Mr. Trump and his lawyers had asked Mr. Marchan to recuse himself from the lawsuit, citing his daughter’s Democratic Party-affiliated political activities.
Barron Trump (right) stands with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House on August 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Mr. Marchand’s daughter Lauren has a leadership role and ownership stake in Authentic Campaigns, and Mr. Trump’s lawyers say the company “serves only Democratic clients” and “has no interest in the 2024 election.” “We are the 21st ranked vendor in the country.”
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Authentic’s top “featured clients” list on its website includes campaigns related to Trump opponents, including “President Biden, Vice President Harris, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and members of Congress.” [Adam] Schiff, Congressman [Hakeem] Jeffries, Congressman [Dan] Goldman, Congressman [Lauren] Underwood and Congressman [Summer] The website also features efforts from the Democratic-backed Senate Majority PAC and the Democratic-backed House Majority PAC.
Marchand said he saw no basis for declining.
As for Barron’s graduation, Marchan said he has not yet formally approved or denied Trump’s request and will make a decision based on the outcome of the court case.
