And a very good morning to you. I'm Ali Valshi. It is Saturday, December the second.

We begin this morning with major new developments that will have a big impact on Donald Trump's legal defense for his upcoming cases.

A pair of new and important rulings from federal judges in D.C. clarify that the former president

is not immune from criminal prosecution nor civil liability for his actions on January

the 6th. Late last night, Judge Tanya Chutkin struck down the former president's attempt to

throw out the federal election interference case against him based on his

claims of presidential immunity, one of four motions to dismiss that team that, to dismiss that his

team had filed in October.

Chuckin's robust and vital opinion pulls from the text, structure, and history of the American Constitution and concludes that they, quote,

do not support that contention, end quote.

It goes on to say, no court or any other branch of government has ever accepted it, and this court

will not so hold.

Whatever immunities a sitting president may enjoy, the United States has only one chief

executive at a time. And that position does not confer a lifelong get-out-of-jail-free pass.

Former presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability. Defendant may be subject to federal investigation,

indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office,

end quote. Chutkin makes crystal clear that beyond the fact that Trump's broad claims of presidential

immunity are not rooted in America's founding principles, it is undeniably within the public's

interest for public officials to be held accountable for their actions.

She continues, quote, the public has an undisputed interest in promoting respect for the law,

deterring crime, protecting itself, and rehabilitating offenders.

All of those interests would be thwarted by granting former president's absolute criminal immunity.

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