WASHINGTON — The White House is considering its options for a response to the Supreme Court ruling block Byouester ruling about immunity he handed over donald trump a great victory, as President Joe Biden warns that a future amoral president could abuse these powers.
“We are reviewing the decision and will certainly explore what could be done to resolve it and better safeguard democracy and the rule of law in the future, given this dangerous precedent,” White House spokesman Ian Sams told NBC News.
Congressional Democrats reacted with outrage to the Decision 6-3, which followed ideological lines. But when it comes to action, party leaders have delivered a scattered message and struggled to outline a clear vision for what to do next — legislatively or otherwise — which has drawn criticism from some liberal advocates.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized the Supreme Court’s “disgraceful MAGA ruling” but did not say whether he would seek any legislative action in response. Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Dick DurbinD-Ill., said the court ruled that presidents are legally “immune from abusing the levers of government to overturn an election or engage in other misconduct.”
“By ruling that Donald Trump is ‘absolutely immune from prosecution for alleged conduct involving his discussions with Justice Department officials,’ the Court has stripped the Justice Department of its valuable independence and undermined its commitment to the rule of law.” , he said.
Durbin’s office said it had nothing specific to share when asked if there would be a response from the committee.
Democrats ‘caught by surprise’
The Justice Department declined to comment when asked whether it is working on establishing legal guidance in light of the decision.
Liberal advocates criticized the fact that there was no faster response from Biden or Congress, even though they had known for months that a decision was coming. Options are limited — the Biden administration cannot bind a future president to its legal guidance, and Democrats do not have enough power in Congress to pass bills without Republican support or even enforce subpoenas in a Senate they control.
Still, some allies wanted Democrats to be prepared with a more aggressive message, using their investigative powers and articulating a legislative vision to rally voters in the 2024 elections.
“This is a ‘breaking glass’ moment for American democracy. Republican judges… rewrote the Constitution to give a president quasi-monarchical powers,” said Alex Aronson, executive director of the liberal group Court Accountability and a former chief counsel to the senator. Sheldon Whitehouse, DR.I. “In the face of this all-out attack on American democracy, Democrats were somewhat taken by surprise.”
He said Senate Democrats should have been ready to announce hearings and conduct investigations into “corruption and conflicts of interest,” arguing that Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito in particular should have recused themselves (Thomas over his wife’s role in trying to overturn Biden and Alito’s victory by an upside-down American flag on their home, which the Jan. 6 protesters also used.) He said they should also use the occasion to bolster support for imposing ethical rules and restrictions stricter to the court.
Alarmed Americans “turn to their elected leaders in Congress — particularly in the Senate, where Democrats hold the majority — to offer them real solutions,” Aronson said.
In the House, Democrats are in the minority and have limited power. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., promised that his party will engage in “aggressive oversight and legislative activity with respect to the Supreme Court” to make “far-right judges” “comply with the Constitution.”
Biden promises to ‘respect the limits’ of power
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said on X that the Supreme Court was involved in “a corruption crisis beyond your control” and that “it is up to Congress to defend our nation from this authoritarian capture.” She added: “I intend to introduce articles of impeachment when we return.” (Her office did not respond when asked who she would try to accuse.)
Senator Tina Smith, Democrat of Minnesota, reiterated her calls to expand the Supreme Court by four seats. That proposal, the Judiciary Act, has just three sponsors and hasn’t added any since last year.
In the decision, the Supreme Court ruled that presidents have presumptive immunity for official acts, giving Trump a major victory that will likely delay his pending criminal trials until after the election and potentially derail them altogether. Trump celebrated the decision, writing on social media: “Great victory for our Constitution and democracy. Proud to be an American!” Several prominent Republicans similarly praised the decision, while others, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., remained silent.
Biden promised in a speech on Monday that he would “respect the limits” of the kingly power he said the court granted to presidents, warning that Trump “will now be free to ignore the law” if he returns.
He said this means “there will be virtually no limits to what a president can do.” He said he agreed with the dissent from the liberal justices, who noted that Trump’s lawyer argued that ordering the military to assassinate a political rival could be considered an official presidential act that is now exempt from accountability.
“The only limits will be self-imposed only by the president,” Biden said. “The American people must decide whether they want to entrust the president – once again, the presidency to Donald Trump.”
Meanwhile, Trump moved quickly to overturn his New York conviction on 34 criminal charges, citing the Supreme Court ruling.
This article was originally published in NBCNews. with
