Congress to consider blocking Dems’ election-interference cases against Trump
Gaetz plan would put lid on state officials' politicization of courts
President Trump long has described the various civil and criminal cases launched by Democrats against him just as he campaigns as the Republican nominee for the White House this year as election interference.
Those multiple cases now are on appeal, or have been delayed by the Supreme Court’s ruling that presidents have much immunity for their actions in office, with lower courts now trying to sort out the details.
Needless to say, a local judge’s demand that Trump spend weeks sitting in his courtroom to hear wild claims about old misdemeanors that now are felonies because the prosecutor said so interfered significantly with Trump’s ability to campaign as he would choose.
Further, another judge demanded hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties from Trump in a “fraud” case in which there were no victims, nobody lost money, there were no unpaid loans and indeed the banks involved wanted to do more business with Trump.
Prosecutors in other cases repeatedly have demanded to go to trial before the election, as that would further impede Trump’s campaign, and might even see him sentenced before the vote.
But now Congress will be taking a look at a plan to block such election interference.
It is U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who has proposed legislation that would put a halt to election interference schemes by state officials and bureaucrats who launch politicized civil or criminal cases.
The Florida Capitol Star said, “The Prevention of Election Interference Act of 2024 would bar the sentencing of presidential candidates in court 120 days before a presidential election. It also would prevent the candidate from being sentenced 60 days after a presidential election.”
Gaetz said, “Presidential candidates should have the right to campaign without interference, regardless of their party affiliation! Over the past two years, state officials and unelected bureaucrats have been keeping President Trump tied up in court with dubious charges, hindering his ability to campaign nationwide.”
His succinct plan says, “No State, or any officer or instrumentality thereof, may impose or carry out a sentence for a State criminal offense committed by a major party candidate during the covered time period.
“During the covered time period, a major party candidate may submit an application to a State or Federal court of jurisdiction demonstrating that such sentence described under subsection (a) may interfere with the campaign activities of the major party candidate. Upon receipt of an application under subsection (a), the State or Federal court of jurisdiction shall amend a sentence relating to the major party candidate, including by staying the sentence for the duration of the covered period or vacating such sentence.”
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