Tornado Alley (PROG)

[newmedman]

The big difference there is that his lawyers are arguing for the 'double jeopardy' clause. That clause states that you cannot be tried for the same crime twice in a court of law.

Say a defendant got acquitted of murder charges and walks out of court a free man. The court cannot just say that they didn't like the decision and turn around and arrest him again on the same charges so he remains free unless he commits a different crime. (OJ Simpson was a perfect example) Sortagreen is also correct that the US Senate is NOT a court of law and his acquittal holds no bearing on him being charged again In a true court of law. The argument is laughable at best and frivolous at most.

The only leg he has left to stand on is his claim that a President is somehow immune to crimes he committed while in office, which has never been ruled on before because we've never had a criminal aside from Nixon in office and Nixon got a pardon before that could all be tested by the Supreme Court.

My guess is that's why SCOTUS agreed to consider the arguments so quickly. If they decide to take the argument up I still don't think they will rule in favor of the defendant because that's a very slippery slope if they set a precedent like that. Who's to say in the future that there isn't another criminal in the white house who murders or rapes someone? Does he just wind up walking scot free? I don't think so. Nobody is above the law.