Ex-Watergate Prosecutor Dismisses Trump’s ‘Outlandish’ Legal Claim as a Delay Strategy

Nick Akerman, a former prosecutor during the Watergate scandal, has strongly criticized Donald Trump’s recent claim of “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office. Speaking on MSNBC with Katie Phang, Akerman dismissed the former president’s legal strategy as a mere tactic to delay the upcoming trial related to the January 6 events.

"…the idea that a president can kill his political opposition and not get prosecuted is completely off the charts… His only legal defense here is not on the facts, it's not on the law, it's on delay" @nickakerman on Trump's presidential immunity arguments. #KatiePhangShow pic.twitter.com/wA0SKxvrxV

— The Katie Phang Show (@katiephangshow) January 13, 2024

Trump’s legal team argued before a federal appeals court that presidents hold an ‘absolute immunity‘ for their actions while in office. However, Akerman, addressing the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner’s situation, suggested that this claim is not grounded in reality. According to him, the real concern for Trump is the impending trial scheduled for March 4, where he fears conviction and subsequent imprisonment.

Akerman was skeptical about the possibility of the Supreme Court taking up the case if Trump loses this immunity argument. He asserted that the idea of a president having the license to commit crimes like murder without facing prosecution is absurd and ‘completely off the charts’.

The former Watergate prosecutor emphasized the lack of substance in Trump’s defense, pointing out that it relies not on facts or law, but solely on delaying the legal process. Akerman expressed confidence that such an argument would not find support, deeming it an implausible defense strategy.