The Supreme Court Knows What It Must Do With Trump's Immunity Ploy

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

54% : To grant a stay at this juncture, the court must decide that Trump has a significant shot at success on the merits.
51% : When called upon to weigh in by Trump, the Supreme Court will have three likely options.
45% : Trump claims that the "separation of powers" grants him "absolute immunity" from criminal charges pertaining to any "official acts" he undertook in office.
45% : The D.C. Circuit gave Trump just six days to appeal the ruling before it allows Judge Chutkan to continue preparing for trial.
42% : While it's impossible to predict how the justices will handle what would otherwise be a straightforward case of Presidents-Not-Being-Kings, there is reason to think a majority of the justices might kick the can down the road far enough to help Trump evade accountability before November.
41% : Justice Clarence Thomas' wife attended the rally that preceded and egged on the insurrection, and he, along with Justice Samuel Alito, has frequently voted to shield Trump from scrutiny.
40% : Trump, in short, "lacked any lawful discretionary authority to defy federal criminal law and he is answerable in court for his conduct."
40% : Trump can also ask the Supreme Court to weigh in, and halt the lower court's order in the meantime -- effectively freezing his trial until SCOTUS renders a decision.
28% : The question is not whether a majority will ultimately agree with Trump (it won't) but whether a majority will abet Trump's efforts to run out the clock (it might).
28% : Smith's indictment cited these gambits as the basis for charging Trump with conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, "defraud the United States," and undermine voting rights.
27% : Trump's central argument in this case is that the Constitution prohibits Special Counsel Jack Smith from prosecuting him for his alleged participation in the conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election.
18% : So granting a stay would require distortion of the usual rules to make a special accommodation for Trump only, a terrible look for a court already thrust into the vortex of politics.
13% : During Trump's presidency, Henderson was sometimes sympathetic toward his efforts to stonewall investigations into his alleged misconduct; just last month, she indicated her ongoing support for affording broad executive privilege to Trump.

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