They lastly actually did it. They blew it up.
Over the previous few months, the Supreme Court docket has been proven fairly definitively to be corrupt, with justices accepting hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in “presents” from rich conservative donors. To not point out a pair justices and their spouses supporting partisan actions that go in opposition to constitutional legislation. However nonetheless, everybody anticipated this choice was a no brainer.
Donald Trump petitioned the court docket to assist his declare of blanket immunity, to say a president couldn’t ever be prosecuted for what they did whereas in workplace, arguing it might hamper them from doing their job in the event that they thought they’d face penalties down the street.
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That is, in fact, an insane notion. That is the climax of the Frost/Nixon interview, keep in mind? “If the president does it, it’s not unlawful.” There’s a purpose that was scandalous. We don’t have kings on this nation, capable of do no matter they select with no penalties, they’re nonetheless sure by legislation like everybody else. It’s a elementary tenet upon which our nation is based. We don’t have kings. The system of checks and balances was supposed to maintain the chief department, the presidency, from turning into too highly effective. However you set sufficient people who’re extra loyal to an individual than to the legislation on the court docket, and…
Effectively, on Monday the SCOTUS choice got here down. And so they did it. They gave Trump his immunity. Regardless of the unanimous decrease court docket rulings in opposition to the absurd concept…
The Resolution
Strictly talking, they gave the president “absolute immunity” for “official acts.” No immunity for unofficial acts. However the place does the road separate the official from the unofficial? You’ll be shocked, completely shocked, to listen to they didn’t outline the excellence within the ruling. Conservative Amy Coney Barrett wrote in her commentary on the choice:
“Sorting non-public from official conduct generally will probably be tough — however not all the time. Take the President’s alleged try to arrange various slates of electors. In my opinion, that conduct is non-public and due to this fact not entitled to safety.”
See? She’s attempting to say Trump will nonetheless be accountable for among the extra egregious prison acts. HOWEVER, she says that’s a straightforward name in her view. However she’s not the arbiter. So actually, if every act is determined on a case-by-case foundation, all Trump wants is a majority of loyal sycophants on the court docket to say one thing was an “official” act. And he’ll by no means be prosecuted once more.
Merely put, this provides Trump — or whoever is in workplace — an INSANE quantity of energy. To rig elections, to imprison political opponents, to even assassinate rivals. SCOTUS says it’s all good, child. Authorized and correct. JFC.
Trump has mentioned he’s going to be a “day one dictator,” every part we’ve seen of his Challenge 2025 plans says he’s going to be a dictator. We guess the Supreme Court docket simply gave him the inexperienced mild.
The Dissent
We’ll let the outvoted justices give their explanations why that is so unsuitable. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in her dissent:
“The vast majority of my colleagues appears to have put their belief in our Court docket’s skill to forestall Presidents from turning into Kings via case-by-case utility of the indeterminate requirements of their new Presidential accountability paradigm. I worry that they’re unsuitable. However, for all our sakes, I hope that they’re proper. Within the meantime, as a result of the dangers (and energy) the Court docket has now assumed are insupportable, unwarranted, and plainly antithetical to bedrock constitutional norms, I dissent.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor actually preached in her dissent:
“As we speak’s choice to grant former Presidents prison immunity reshapes the establishment of the Presidency. It makes a mockery of the precept, foundational to our Structure and system of Authorities, that no man is above the legislation.”
She laid out the apparent issues individuals have been stating for months:
“Orders the Navy’s Seal Group 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a army coup to carry onto energy? Immune. Takes a bribe in alternate for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune.”
Lastly Justice Sotomayor blasted her personal court docket’s choice:
“Let the President violate the legislation, let him exploit the trimmings of his workplace for private acquire, let him use his official energy for evil ends. As a result of if he knew that he might someday face legal responsibility for breaking the legislation, he won’t be as daring and fearless as we want him to be. That’s the majority’s message right now. Even when these nightmare situations by no means play out, and I pray they by no means do, the injury has been accomplished. The connection between the President and the individuals he serves has shifted irrevocably. In each use of official energy, the President is now a king above the legislation.”
“A king above the legislation.” Within the USA. What occurred to the Republican Occasion that that is what they need now? The top results of, “we wish smaller, much less highly effective authorities” turned out to be, “please let our man change into the king above all of us.” Madness.
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