‘Immunity On Murders?!’ CNN’s Abby Phillip Brutally Mocks All of Trump’s Crime Defenses In Scathing Commentary
CNN anchor Abby Phillip brutally mocked former President Donald Trump’s “litany of legal excuses” in a scathing commentary after Trump’s widely-derided criminal immunity appeal hearing.
On Tuesday morning, Trump showed up in court to listen to the oral arguments at a hearing on his claim of presidential immunity in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. It was a hearing at which his attorney argued that a president could order Seal Team Six to assassinate a political rival and not face prosecution unless he were impeached and convicted first
On Tuesday night’s edition of CNN NewsNight, Phillip opened her show with some brutal mockery of that defense and others that began with the Julie Andrews parody that you didn’t see coming:
ABBY PHILLIP: Donald Trump has a litany of legal excuses, and his new one might just take the cake. That’s tonight on Newsnight.
Good evening. I’m Abby Phillip in New York.
Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, immunity on murders? Donald Trump lists a few of his favorite reasons why he’s not a criminal. At this point, Trump is a collector of defenses like some people collect Pokemon. But there’s almost too much to count at this point. And trust us, we tried.
He says he’s immune, presidents can’t obstruct justice.
His intent wasn’t corrupt.
The case is moving too fast or moving too slow.
It’s an unfair venue.
The judge is biased, and so are the clerks. The jury is too.
He’s never met her. He doesn’t know her. She’s not his type.
It was his personal account, political persecution, witch hunt, perfect phone call, the deep state.
It wasn’t an insurrection. He wasn’t notified that it was a crime. His lawyers advised him double jeopardy.
The speech was peaceful. The students weren’t defrauded. The Presidential Records Act. He was too busy.
They were his documents. They’re declassified. They aren’t even classified at all, the First Amendment and the Fourth, the Fifth, the Sixth, and Tenth Amendments too.
Now, if you’re wondering where some of those reasons even came from, just look at the client, Donald J. Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN SAUER, ATTORNEY FOR DONALD TRUMP: To authorize the prosecution of a president for his official acts would open a Pandora’s Box from which this nation may never recover.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: It’s the opening of a Pandora’s Box and it’s a very sad thing that’s happened with this whole situation. When they talk about threat to democracy, that’s your real threat to democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIP: Now, today, Trump’s lawyers talked a lot about their newest reason why he’s not guilty of anything at all, and its blanket immunity. And they took it to extremes about what it would allow a president to do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I asked you a yes or no question. Could a president who ordered SEAL Team 6 to assassinate a political rival who was not impeached, he’d be subject to criminal prosecution?
SAUER: If he were impeached and convicted first. And so —
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So your answer is?
SAUER: My answer is qualified, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIP: But let’s be real. Is any of this even legal theory? Do Trump’s lawyers really think that the courts will buy an argument that he can shoot someone on Fifth Avenue as president and just get away with it or is this an elaborate game of delay and distract?
Watch above via CNN NewsNight.
