Question: Pence kills Trump to become President. Would he be immune?

[ProudProgressiveNow]

I do not think so. Same with Trump. He commited crimes to become President. Same principle should apply. Thoughts...

[jberryhill]

1. Oh, that's a good one

It might gain him a lot more supporters.

[hlthe2b]

2. There is far less justification for saying a VP is immune from indictment/prosecution than President

and, given the example of Spiro Agnew, more reason to believe the VP is not immune at all. The VP has no executive privilege except where the President is involved and even then the privilege originates from the President. Agnew negotiated resignation literally within the hour preceding his official indictment in court. So, while it remains a technicality that he wasn't actually indicted, there is every reason to believe a VP CAN be.

If Pence has committed crimes, he's sunk. If he committed crimes as VP that would deliver him the PResidency, I belileve that would be considered invalid and he would be taken into custody. The Speaker of the House would assume the Presidency (or whoever was next in line, should the previous position not be eligible for whatever reason...i.e., dead)

[ProudProgressiveNow]

3. But...

as soon as Trump is dead, Pence is the President. Hence the question.

[hlthe2b]

9. Because until JFK, there was not an official mechanism to name the line of succession,

the 25th amendment was passed. Technically, this is why from Tyler to LBJ, they've rushed to take the oath of office, because they were sort of in limbo land. The 25th amendment made it clear that if the President is incapacitated (or dead), the VP or whoever is next in line of succession becomes the President pending taking the official oath.

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/how-jfks-assassination-led-to-a-constitutional-amendment

In your scenario, the swearing in/oath could be denied to a VP with the Supreme Court undoubtedly having to rule on the VP being legally eligible/ineligible to assume the Presidency. If there was a obvious cloud over the VP, the cabinet could likely invoke the 25th temporarily against him/her to buy time.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

10. Well stated. NT

[Squinch]

4. That's a good framing. Trump committed most of his crimes to

become President.

Nice.

[Jim__]

5. Great question! Hope someone asks Trump when he's on camera. - n/t

[rickford66]

6. Only on 5th Avenue.

[Bucky]

7. Bah, Pence doesn't got the balls. He'd go way up in my book if he went there. Serious street cred

of course he'd need the street cred in prison. I wonder what gang he'd hook up with. No way a politician goes full Aryan.

[marble falls]

8. e-Bay areful-cay at-way ou-yay ay-say er ... er around ence-Pay.

[RockRaven]

11. Every Trump lawyer and GOP politician who tries to defend Trump on the grounds that POTUS is

immune to interrogation, arrest, or prosecution should be asked the same question. On air. Especially because Trump is paranoid and the discord between him and Pence from that question being repeated over and over again would be delicious.