Charlie Stross2d ago

Mad idea: given that the US Supreme Court ruled that the President essentially has immunity from criminal prosecutions for acts during his term in office, could J. D. Vance plausibly shoot Donald Trump dead, thereby becoming President, and claim immunity?

(I know this is very silly and Won't Happen for several reasons, but is there a legal fig-leaf he could hide behind here?)

Show threadJohn Maxwell
@cstross But he wouldn't be president when he pulled the trigger, so presidential immunity wouldn't apply.
Mar 15 at 12:56pmTusky
Show threadThe Penguin of Evil2d ago
@jmax @cstross But he could pardon himself several seconds later.
Show threadJohn Maxwell2d ago
@etchedpixels @cstross Mm. He'd still be chargeable in principle by the state or territory. Not that they would.
Show threadCharlie Stross2d ago
@jmax @etchedpixels The Crown is the wellspring from which the law springs, in the UK—the monarch can't be charged with *anything*. (QE2 driving into her late 80s was a headache for her police bodyguards.)
Show threadAdam Trickett  2d ago
@cstross @jmax @etchedpixels Cromwell would like a word...
Show threadCharlie Stross2d ago
@drajt @jmax @etchedpixels Yes, which is exactly why the royal protection group keep the king (or queen, as appropriate) wrapped in cotton wool inside a locked safe where they *can't* do anything illegal (although they can just ask a cop to do it for them). Luckily for the past few decades the monarch has been a very staid and evidently happily married over-70 billionaire. (Unlike Andrew.)
Show threadJaime Robertson2d ago
@cstross @jmax @etchedpixels Washington D.C. isn’t a state, and is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Charges would be unlikely.
Show threadJohn Maxwell2d ago

@JamesPadraicR @cstross @etchedpixels DC has a city government with the usual power to charge people with crimes.

I agree that the Feds would apply enough pressure to prevent it, up to and including revoking home rule, but in principle it could happen.