Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he stands by his statement that former presidents, including Donald Trump, are “not immune” from criminal prosecution following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. .
Margaret Brennan, host of “Face the Nation” and chief foreign affairs correspondent, said McConnell's attack on Trump in early 2021, more than a month after a mob supporting former President Trump stormed the Capitol, As stated, I asked Mr. McConnell if he still believed that the former president was not completely immune from prosecution.
The Supreme Court is currently considering whether Trump is entitled to broad immunity from federal prosecution, and its decision on the issue will be important in determining the fate of the 2020 election trial.
“Let's put it this way: I took up that issue on February 13, 2021,” McConnell said. “…and January 6, 2021. I stand by everything I said then. Of course, it's up to the Supreme Court to decide whether I was right.”
Three years ago, Mr. McConnell voted to acquit Mr. Trump in his impeachment trial over the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, in part because Mr. Trump had “not yet committed any crime.” There was a possibility that he could still be held liable in court because he had not been exempted.
“We have a criminal justice system in this country. We also have civil litigation.” Mr. McConnell said “And the former president is not exempt from responsibility either way.”
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At issue in the Supreme Court case Trump v. United States is: Can the former president face criminal charges? He is suspected of committing an official act while in the White House. The controversy stems from a federal prosecution by Special Counsel Jack Smith, the second case to come before the justices in his current term, and has significant implications for President Trump. political future.
It could take months for the Supreme Court to issue a decision.
Mr. McConnell still supports Mr. Trump as the presidential candidate and told Mr. Brennan that he has always maintained that he supports the Republican presidential nominee.
Mr. McConnell said: he will resign As Brennan pointed out, that means Trump could remain in the White House for the remainder of McConnell's term, which ends in November when he assumes a leadership role in the Senate. I will finish it.
McConnell rejected the idea of fact-checking or influencing Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, when he parrots false information about Russia and Ukraine.
“I'm not going to give advice to any of our candidates in the presidential election,” McConnell said. “My focus is on getting a Republican majority in the Senate.”
Last week, after much negotiation and back-and-forth, the Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid bill for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel. After the bill passed, McConnell said he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and apologized for the length of time it took to pass the bill. To Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's credit, McConnell said Democrats had to come together and persuade Republicans.
According to a new CBS News poll, 79% of self-identified Republicans say President Trump is the most trusted source of information on Ukraine and Russia, even more so than the Pentagon. Mr. Brennan asked Mr. McConnell how he plans to counter that message.
“I think the most important thing I can do is make sure that my successor is the majority leader, no matter what happens in the presidential election,” McConnell said. “I'm not completely happy with this administration. I think the fact that our candidates basically decided not to keep whipping the public on policy is a good sign. “I'm going to advocate for an increase in the defense budget.” If elected, we will prepare for a long war with China, Russia, and Iran. ”
Melissa Quinn and Robert Legare contributed to this report
