The judge rejected Trump’s argument that he has absolute immunity in his federal investigation into election meddling

The judgment of District Judge Tanya Sudkhan a Trump’s security team vehemently rejected the challenges The four-count indictment comes ahead of a trial expected to focus on several Republican efforts in an election won by Democrat Joe Biden.

He is now launching a legal battle over the limits of presidential power that could reach the US Supreme Court. Trump, who has denied wrongdoing in the case, is expected to appeal soon His lawyers had to fight what they characterized as an outstanding legal issue.

In his ruling, Sudkhan said the president’s office “does not grant permission to leave prison for life”.

“The Former presidents do not enjoy special conditions in their federal criminal liability” Sutken wrote. “The defendant may be subject to a federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction and sentence for any criminal act committed while in office.”

Shoot Trump rejected claims that the impeachment violated the former president’s freedom of speech. Trump’s lawyers argued that he was within his First Amendment rights to challenge the election result and claim it was tainted by fraud, and the lawyers accused him of trying to criminalize political speech and political advocacy.

But Sudgan said ” It is well established that the First Amendment does not protect speech used as an instrument of crime”.

“The defendant was not prosecuted simply for making false statements. Rather, for knowingly making false statements in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy and to disrupt the election process,” he wrote.

His ruling comes on the same day that a federal appeals court in Washington ruled on January 6, 2021 that cases accusing Trump of inciting the riots can move forward.