Trump got handed a legal loss by none other than “his” SCOTUS and it could matter a fair amount. I have to admit being a bit surprised by the news that SCOTUS rejected the filing from the Missouri AG to delay Trump’s sentencing for his criminal conviction in New York and lift the gag order that’s remained in place. FYI last week the New York Court of Appeals rejected Trump’s appeal requesting the gag order be lifted. AGs from other Republican states signed on to the effort but it was all for naught. In an unsigned ruling SCOTUS declined to intervene. Hmmmmm.
To refresh you on the details, Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 18. Prior to that, on Sept. 6 the judge will rule on Trump’s motion to overturn the verdict based on that ridiculous Presidential Immunity created out of who-the-hell-knows-what by this same SCOTUS who today wants nothing to do with his legal mess in New York state. Reuters reports after noting the denial of the request to delay things until Nov. 5 (after the election) this:
The decision by the justices came in response to Missouri’s lawsuit claiming that the case against Trump infringed on the right of voters under the U.S. Constitution to hear from the Republican presidential nominee as he seeks to regain the White House.
The Supreme Court’s order was unsigned. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito indicated they would have taken up Missouri’s case but added that they “would not grant other relief.”
I suppose it was entirely predictable that the dynamic Dastardly-Dickheaded Duo of Thomas and Alito wanted to take up the case. However it takes four Justices to grant Cert and though they huffed and puffed and threatened to blow their four fellow Federalist Society groomed colleagues to join them they couldn’t even scrounge up a mere two of them to join in. Trump we can be sure is furious.
It does make me wonder however. I would have thought at this point the six Justices who issued their ‘Keep your hands off OUR Trumpy-Bear’ would have eagerly taken the case and then stall the hell out of it like they did with the immunity business. Is it possible that with the exception of Thomas and Alito they’ve had some pangs of ‘What the hell have we just done?’ I know. You’re thinking I must have taken some powerful drugs and gone round the bend. Still, think about it.
Back when the ruling was issued it looked more than a little possible that Trump could actually win this fall. I don’t agree and will always believe that while it would have been a hard fought, close election that President Biden would have whupped Trump’s butt again in the popular vote and squeezed out an Electoral College win. We’ll never know. However a month later and it’s a whole new ballgame. Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party are energized to a degree we haven’t seen since 2008. Raising money in huge amounts (mostly small donations so far – wait until the big money donors start kicking it) and more importantly probably by now 200k NEW volunteers. For an already robustly built out nationwide GOTV effort. Democrats will almost certainly regain control of the House and a big Harris win could well ensure not just retaining control of the Senate but maybe even picking up a seat or two. Uh Oh.
If THAT wasn’t enough last week we saw President Biden close the deal on the biggest prisoner swap with Russia since back during the Cold War. Old man my ass! The dude’s still got tons of game. Worse, the ‘institutionalist’ Biden is now putting his weight behind meaningful reform to SCOTUS. How worried are they? Enough that Gorsuch went public with a (ahem) warning to not mess with them. That’s some Trump level bluster! SCOTUS reputation is in tatters. About the only thing keeping it from getting worse at the moment is their last term ended and the new one doesn’t start until October. However, in their eagerness to rewrite the Constitution into what THEY want it to be they’ve got some new precedent busting cases on their docket.
The can say otherwise all they want but they damned well pay attention to politics as in elective politics. SCOTUS, especially with the former AG of our largest state who went on to become a Senator who sat on the Judiciary Committee and has served as VP to the best mentor/teacher anyone could hope for will be talking about THEM. Yes, SCOTUS and reform will be on the ballot too. The six GOP appointees can also see clearly as the rest of us that Trump and his campaign are flailing.
Is it crazy to think they’re concerned change is a coming? That they got too freaking arrogant and while laughing and patting themselves on the back over what they’ve already done and are fixing to do soon stumbled into a giant pile of shiite? That maybe, just maybe they should if given the chance dial things back some? For example by effectively telling Trump ‘you’re on your own at least for now?’ I don’t think that’s crazy at all. A quiet note can be sent to Trump not to worry, his appeal using their immunity bullshit will eventually get to them and they’ll take care of him.
However there’s a problem with all that. Come September 6 the judge is almost certain to deny Trump’s motion to have the verdict overturned. If he sticks to the Sept. 18 sentencing date all hell will break loose even if as a “first time offender” Trump only gets probation. And doesn’t have to spend even a night in jail for the contempt rulings against him during his trial. Let’s say the judge sentences him to prison, for perhaps a year BUT allows him to remain free during his appeal. That’s not all that crazy a prospect. Unlike regular folks or some small businessman many a rich and/or powerful white collar defendant would get that kind of benefit. Trump would still go bash*t insane and so would MAGA.
He won’t be able to help himself and the more he rants the more he highlights the whole “Prosecutor vs. the Felon” thing. The Harris campaign and Democratic Party can literally laugh it off and that will enrage Trump all the more. However, the impact out in the country might be pretty significant. ALL the crazy of the Trump years will come flooding back to millions of voters who held their noses and voted for Trump before. Many won’t like having Democrats in charge but they will also see a smart, capable candidate with outstanding credentials who served in an administration that DIDN”T include all that Trump Crazy. They might well say ‘2028 is only four years away and there will be a midterm in between’ and if that happens Trump is screwed.
I don’t know if SCOTUS thought about that. Or if they did decided to try to start covering their butts to limit any amount of reform to their branch of government. Still, it’s interesting as hell that given a chance to do Trump yet another solid today they took a pass. Because four of them have decided it’s time to engage in some Damage Control.
Well, I won’t believe anything until the fat lady sings. … but I hope it will turn out to be the loveliest voice I have ever heard. We cannot return to a place where this madness never was, but maybe we will be able to look forward to a brighter future.
but gosh, Thomas and Alito, I almost begin to feel that they really would blow up the nation for their “precious”.
If this is an attempt by the corrupt s.c. to mollify american citizens and non-magat pols, it is too little too late. The s.c. is the most distrusted american institution. They have become irrelevant but just don’t realize it yet. We have to make them realize just how distrusted and irrelevant they are. Corruption rules/reform for the S.C. is a start, but only a start. Using legislation to reverse their most corrupt decisions (dobbs, the immunity case, citizen’s united, etc.) must be accomplished if we are to save our country from these corrupt con xtians who want to transform our constitutional republic into a talibanesque hell-hole. And we don’t have to wait for buy-in by these fools for the court reform. They either agree to it or they are criminals who will be prosecuted….oh, and replaced.
This cannot be done without a democratic majority in the house and filibuster-proof senate. When you go to the polls remember: the s.c. is in terrible need of reform. This should also light a fire in any and all GOTV efforts to elect Dem candidates. This also cannot be accomplished without the pols’ constituencies demanding these changes. Pols won’t act until ordered to you know-ordered by voters or ordered by circumstances matters little but they must be made to do this.
On the first Monday of October, the start of the new Supreme Court term, the FBI should be there at 9am waiting with Presidential Arrest Warrants for the Trumpy Six, based in that new Presidential Immunity the injustices unconstitutionally synthesized. Take them on a little field trip to meet with President Biden, where he’ll personally warn them that re-installed President Trump won’t hesitate to use Presidential Immunity to execute them for whatever passes as disloyalty in The DumOld’s deranged mind before sending them back to the Supreme Court. Maybe that’ll scare some sense into them.
No, show up at their HOMES at six in the morning. Drive them to the Capitol Rotunda where giant (I mean HUGE) photos of the damage the J6 Rioters incited by Trump caused. Photos of the mob beating cops too. Scatter cover sheets with Top Secret/SCI (or SAC) markings all over the floor with great big photos of how they were found at Mar A Lago for good measure. And some big pics on easels of Putin, MBS (with Jared) and other enemies that have those classification cover sheets photo-shopped in. Make them stand there for ten or fifteen minutes looking around. And THEN President Biden can walk in, and say:
YOU issued a ruling that makes all these things we KNOW Trump has done legal. Oh he’ll try to say it was legal for him to steal the documents, a last “official act” he’ll call it and you’ve given every indication you’d let HIM get away with it. Me or any other President? No way you’d have written an opinion that would allow that.
I have copies for each of you an Executive Order I’ve had drafted that designates each of you as threats to both the rule of law and national security and orders you be transported to Gitmo to await a military tribunal. I’ll even have you flown down on a jet from the Presidential fleet. One can be fueled and prepped over at Andrews in an hour or so. All I have to do is sign it and affix the Presidential Seal and that’s that.
Of course you know I wouldn’t actually do it. Much as you deserve it because you have betrayed your oath. You’re lucky honor and respect for traditions and norms still exist, at least in the Democratic Party and with most Independents. But it’s gone from the GOP. On your walk across the street to your own building maybe you will start to summon up some of that old-school stuff. In the meantime get the fuck out of my sight and out of this building. YOU don’t deserve to set foot in these literally hallowed halls.
The comments by Dan and Denis are outstanding! I’d particularly love to see the 6AM wakeup scenario reported on the morning news, and I hope President Biden is angry enough over the damage these fascists have done to our republic to take that kind of action! Talk about being hoist on your own petard!!!