The US Supreme Court intervenes in the legal dispute over Donald Trump’s participation in the primaries for the Republican presidential nomination. The Supreme Court announced on Friday afternoon (local time) that it would take up a corresponding request from the former US president and current presidential candidate. The case, which could change the course of this year’s presidential election, is scheduled to be heard in the capital Washington court on February 8th.
Trump had turned to the court to overturn a decision from the state of Colorado. Colorado, like the state of Maine, believed that Trump’s behavior in connection with the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 disqualified him from being president. Corresponding lawsuits from Trump opponents are still ongoing elsewhere. It can be assumed that the Supreme Court will decide on the matter soon, as the primary election season is about to begin.
The court is dominated by a conservative majority; three of the nine justices were appointed by Trump. It is unclear whether they will even address the question of whether the former president was guilty of insurrection. For example, the court could only rule that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment does not apply to the president. This means that Trump will no longer be allowed to hold US office.
The case is about Trump’s future as an entrepreneur
A new twist in the fraud trial against the former US president had previously attracted attention. The public prosecutor’s office is demanding a penalty of 370 million US dollars (338 million euros). This emerges from a letter published on Friday by New York State Attorney General Letitia James. The new sum significantly exceeds the $250 million payment previously demanded by Trump. Judge Arthur Engoron is expected to decide the sentence in the civil case this month.
The proceedings are about the future of the 77-year-old’s corporate empire. The public prosecutor’s office accuses Trump and his sons and employees of manipulating the value of the Trump Organization for years in order to obtain cheaper loans and insurance contracts. Judge Engoron had already confirmed this before the trial. The main focus of the proceedings is now on determining possible penalties and other charges.
The Republican Trump is not threatened with a prison sentence or a direct impact on his presidential candidacy, but a conviction could cause him great business damage. In addition to the fine, Trump faces a ban on doing business in New York. The former president wants to be re-elected in 2024. He is the most promising candidate for the Republican nomination. According to many observers, he is using the process as election advertising.