Once they are impeached they would presumably be subject to criminal prosecution under the Impeachment Judgements Clause [1] which states:
"but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law."
I don't think this ruling is, on the surface, exactly what people are making it out to be. It certainly maintains a high bar for criminally prosecuting the president for something they do in office, but it is not allowing them to commit crimes with impunity.
> but it is not allowing them to commit crimes with impunity
Well it kind of does, because the president has the power to stop impeachment from ever happening in the first place, if they're willing to command the military to.
"but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law."
I don't think this ruling is, on the surface, exactly what people are making it out to be. It certainly maintains a high bar for criminally prosecuting the president for something they do in office, but it is not allowing them to commit crimes with impunity.
1: https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-3....