'Power Over Principle': CNN's Jake Tapper Rails Against Trump Immunity Argument
Jan. 15 2024, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
CNN's Jake Tapper warned the future of America could be at stake after a bold argument was made at a hearing on Donald Trump's claim of presidential immunity, RadarOnline.com has learned, claiming we are in a "dangerous place."
Tapper gave his commentary on Sunday's State of the Union, referring to remarks made by Trump attorney John Sauer that his client would be immune from prosecution for the assassination of a political rival while in office unless he was first impeached and convicted in Congress.
Last week, Judge Pan asked questions pertaining to hypothetical situations while hearing oral arguments in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.
The hearing was held over claims Trump can't be prosecuted because his actions after losing the 2020 election were part of his official responsibilities as commander-in-chief.
Judge Tanya Chutkan previously denied two motions seeking to dismiss based on First Amendment and presidential immunity claims.
"Could a president order Seal Team Six to assassinate a political rival? That's an official act, an order to Seal Team Six," the judge asked Trump's attorney last Tuesday.
"He would have to be and would speedily be, you know, uh, impeached and convicted before the criminal prosecution–," Sauer explained before Pan asked for a yes or no response.
"If he were impeached and convicted first," he replied before clarifying in part, "My answer is qualified. Yes. There's a political process that will have to occur under the structure of our Constitution."
After airing a snippet of that audio, Tapper explained "the answer was, no, that person would not be prosecutable" in that circumstance.
The CNN anchor said that begged the question: "If a President Trump were to order the assassination of a political rival using SEAL Team Six, would a majority of the House of Representatives vote to impeach him?"
Tapper then stated that Trump and his team argued that he essentially could use the U.S. military to assassinate a political rival, and he could escape prosecution if 34 senators, Republicans, were willing to acquit him.
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"We're in a dangerous place right now as a country," Tapper warned. "A major swath of the United States has been lied to repeatedly by Republican leaders and MAGA media, such as Fox, people who know better, but who have bet on power over principle."