President Trump has asked the Supreme Court to overturn lower-court rulings that dismissed his lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and others, and to vacate nearly $1 million in sanctions imposed on him and his attorney. The suit, filed in March 2022, alleged a coordinated scheme to damage his candidacy and presidency through fabricated accusations of Russian collusion.
A federal district judge dismissed the case, finding the claims were filed too late and that many statements were protected by the First Amendment. The 11th Circuit affirmed, with Chief Judge William Pryor describing the claims as untimely and otherwise meritless, and upheld the sanctions. The full appeals court declined to rehear the case.
In his petition, Trump raises two questions: whether the statute of limitations should be extended because of his presidential role, and whether a court can sanction a president and his lawyers for making a substantial, unresolved argument. His lawyer, Richard Klugh, argued that the lower court's decision forces presidents to choose between public responsibilities and private claims and improperly sanctions reasonable constitutional advocacy.
Clinton's response is due 30 days after the petition is docketed, though she may request more time. The Supreme Court is likely to act on the petition sometime this winter.