(The Center Square) – Both Republican and Democratic North Carolinians in Congress were quick with fiery reactions to the SCOTUS ruling released on Monday, which granted former President Donald Trump “total immunity” for official actions taken as president.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis summed up the prevailing Republican position on the ruling.
“Presidents should never be subject to politically motivated prosecutions by partisan state officials like Alvin Bragg,” Tillis posted on X.
He then said the court’s decision was not enough, saying legislation is also necessary.
“My commonsense legislation The No More Political Prosecutions Act will ensure the legal process is fair,” Tillis said.
Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross pushed back against the decision, calling it a “dark departure” from the “foundational pillar of our democracy – that no person is above the law.”
She continued, saying, “By ruling that a president has absolute immunity from prosecution for official actions while simultaneously refusing to draw a clear line between what constitutes official and unofficial actions, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court has elevated the presidency to a ‘law-free zone.’”
Ross expressed concern about what the decision could mean for future presidencies, especially if Trump is reelected in the fall, echoing President Joe Biden.
“We are a country built on the rule of law – not a nation of kings or dictators,” she said. “I fear for the vitality and strength of our democracy after today’s decision. A future president could be empowered to inflict irreparable harm on our nation with this level of immunity.”
Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel echoed this sentiment, saying that the court is only fighting for Trump.
“Today’s ruling by the partisan SCOTUS was a major step backward for our nation and proof that the current court no longer serves the American people, just Donald Trump. It’s simple: no one is above the law,” he posted on X.
Republicans say the decision was not an overstep by the court, but a necessary one to reign in the justice system.
This is what Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx said of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s “overhauling of the justice system to target President Trump.”
“The rule of law has long served as the foundation for our country, but today, a dark, new chapter has been opened – one where judicial warfare is given a higher priority than fairness,” Foxx said in response to Trump’s conviction in his Manhattan hush money case.
The court’s ruling has already impacted this case, leading to the announcement Tuesday of a delay in sentencing, as his legal team prepares to file more paperwork.
