Absolute Immunity Does Not Exist in a Democracy

Donald Trump’s last-ditch effort to stay out of prison has no place in a constitutional republic or democracy like ours.

Photo by Yuriy Yosipiv on Unsplash

Absolute Immunity Does Not Exist in a Democracy

In a democratic society like ours, where the rule of law prevails and everyone is equal before the law, one would think that there are no exceptions to this fundamental principle.

Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Politicians and other high-ranking officials claim that they are above the law and protected by absolute immunity—a belief that is not only flawed but also dangerous to our democracy.

Absolute immunity is the idea that certain government officials are immune from civil or criminal liability for actions taken in the course of their official duties.

This idea is frequently associated with the American presidency, and former President Donald Trump has used it to avoid responsibility for alleged misconduct while in office.

However, the idea of absolute immunity is not only unconstitutional but also goes against the very foundations of a democratic society.