This article was published on [China News Network].
**On December 12, comprehensive foreign media reported that on the 11th local time, the U.S. Department of Justice's special prosecutor Smith asked the Supreme Court to make a ruling as soon as possible on whether the former Trump in the United States enjoys absolute immunity from prosecution.
According to Reuters, on the 11th local time, Smith asked the U.S. Supreme Court to directly review the federal trial judge's refusal to revoke the decision to indict Trump in the submitted documents.
Data map: Former ** Trump in the United States. "This case raises a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: Is there absolute immunity from federal prosecution for crimes committed by former ** while in office, or is there constitutional protection from federal prosecution if ** is not convicted before criminal proceedings begin?"Smith said the Supreme Court should make a ruling as soon as possible, "which is critical for the general public."
Smith also said he was asking the federal appeals court to expedite Trump's appeal against the ruling of the federal court in Washington, D.C.
Trump's legal team filed a petition in October to quash the 2020 election. Trump's lawyers claim that Trump enjoys "absolute immunity" from prosecution for actions taken during his presidency. U.S. Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presides over the case, denied the petition on Dec. 1. Subsequently, Trump appealed Chutkan's ruling, which led to a suspension of the case. Trump's alleged attempt to overturn the results of the 2020** election was originally scheduled to begin on March 4, 2024.
According to the report, this is the first time that the U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to intervene in one of the four pending criminal proceedings against Trump. The Supreme Court has agreed to rule as soon as possible and ordered Trump's lawyers to respond to Smith's request to the Supreme Court by Dec. 20.
The New York Times noted that Smith's plea to the Supreme Court was unusual. According to the report, it is very rare for prosecutors to ask the Supreme Court to intervene in a case before the lower appellate court makes a ruling. Smith's move shows the urgency of the Justice Department to try Trump's case before the United States in 2024.
At the moment, Trump's spokesman has not responded to this.