Lawyers for former President Donald Trump elevated their request to move his New York criminal case to federal court Monday evening, telling an appeals court that he is immune from prosecution for actions taken while in office.
Citing the July 1 Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, Trump’s legal team told the U.S. Appeals Court for the 2nd Circuit that the charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, an elected Democrat, relate to official acts performed during Trump’s presidency, which should be shielded from prosecution.
“President Trump is subject to an unlawful prior restraint,” Trump attorney Todd Blanche wrote in a 99-page filing, citing several problems, including “2019 evidence indicating that [the trial judge] previously criticized President Trump’s use of Twitter, which is a central issue in the Presidential immunity motion.”
