I can’t believe that eight lawyers signed their names to Donald Trump’s latest litigious rag, designed to juice conspiracy theory and deflect from his woes with the Manhattan D.A.’s office, simply because the suit is now going to put scrutiny on Trump’s actions before and during January 6 — and that can’t spell anything but doom for Trump and the GOP. I haven’t heard Nancy Pelosi chime in on this, nor do I expect to, but I have to believe she’s grinning like the Cheshire Cat. And if McConnell and McCarthy have got two brain cells working, they have to see the implications of this. It’s too obvious. I’m not the only person to think this.

Trump has already begun to ask for donations. His playbook is simple and consistent, 1. Deflect from real problems with 2. Conspiracy theory, 3. Beg for money.

America’s panhandler in chief, Donald Trump, just proved beyond all doubt that he has no idea what is in the Constitution he took an oath to defend.

Trump today sent me and millions of others a text begging for money to finance federal lawsuits filed in Florida against Facebook, Google, Twitter and their chief executive officers for “UNCONSTITUTIONAL CENSORSHIP.”

Trump is, at least for now, banned from their platforms for breaking their rules.

Had Trump ever read the First Amendment, he would know it applies to the government, not businesses. “Congress shall make no law” is the opening line. The amendment is only 45 words, so it shouldn’t challenge even Trump’s poor reading comprehension skills.

Our Constitution says nothing about businesses turning away people because they violate company policies. Facebook, Google and Twitter have policies that people consent to when they click those “I agree to the terms of service” buttons to get access. On a simplistic level think of restaurants with this sign on the door: No Shoes No Shirt No Service.

Trump knows he’s pissing in the wind, but his worthy legions on Fox News are ginning up the CT spinning wheel and some fabulous fables are being woven. You can expect more of the same as this LOLsuit continues through the court system to its inevitable end. Fox News needed a new crisis, Trump manufactured one.

Expect more of the same.

But get ready for Trump’s unintended consequences to manifest, because they should be choice. He has actually turned all eyes upon January 6 and his role in it. Which means that the role of all the others in the GOP is going to come under scrutiny as well. Great. Glad to hear it.

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9 COMMENTS

  1. This will all happen, if the suit proceeds. I was thinking it could be thrown out, since there is no legal grounds, ie-Twitter, Facebook and Google are not government entities. IANAL, so maybe someone more knowledgable can weigh in.

    • I fear you’re correct, and they will get the lawsuit tossed out of court before it ever gets going. As Ursula noted there is the whole terms of service thing and their retaining the right to set them and change them as they see fit. Basically, play by their rules or get kicked off and it’s one of those disclaimer things few people actually read, much less wade through to the point of understanding just how much power the company holds. (I saw a rerun of the SouthPark Humancentipad the other day!)

      Neither Dorsey or Zuckerberg needed the money the fuss Trump’s antics generated for their platforms to begin with. But they also knew that his Jerry Spring crap would generate lots of views and therefore ad money. Like many such rich assholes that had/have more than they can ever spend they decided to grab a big pile of easy money, and maybe even enjoyed getting to make like bad guys for a little while. Faux “street cred” and all that. However, even with the money he generated for them Trump became a tiresome liability too, and even if profits outweighed losses from people who were turned off by their giving Trump a platform I think at some point they figured it just wasn’t worth it.

      In Zuckerberg’s case he got himself in deeper, because he truly fears the U.S. will do what some other countries have done and start to, even if only minimally regulate his brainchild. Zuck can’t imagine anything more horrific so hell yes he wanted Trump, or at least the GOP to win both before last November and now. I think he might be genuinely worried he out clevered himself though. FB was used a LOT by those who organized and took part in the insurrection and the last thing he wants is a bright spotlight shone on all that. With Trump already weakened and maybe (please, please and soon!) facing actual criminal charges even some in the GOP will take stock and be open to what Zuck/FB fears.

      Regulation.

      And not just “for show” level regulation but something meaningful and even worse something that coordinates with efforts in other countries. Hell yes he will have his lawyers fighting like hell and in concert with Twitter and Google to shut down Trump’s lawsuit! And these guys can afford far better legal representation than Trump can. The fact the law and precedent are on their side means it will take a true crazy-assed in the tank for Trump judge like that asshole down in TX to allow this lawsuit to go forward. I don’t like the odds.

      • Suing Zuck in person for stuff the *corporation* did isn’t very smart. Legal twitter is ROFL. They’re also suing in Miami, where the proper courts are in CA.
        Thread of threads starts here:

    • The terms of service for each company specify which court has jurisdiction over any dispute. It isn’t Florida, for any of them. So the suits will be thrown out and then he will whine about how unfair thw courts are, and grift some more.

  2. The suits will go nowhere, because (a) he’s trying to claim the companies violated the 1A (b) as state agents (c) at the behest of Ds in Congress (this was before 1/20/21, remember). Also, something something TOS.
    And one of the lawyers signed “pro hac vince” which is a very obvious typo, and most of them are personal-injury lawyers, so are way out of their field; two of them are over 70, and one of those is Greta van Susteren’s spouse.

  3. Having been through a baseless law suit, which I won, I predict once he realizes he will be deposed under oath & recorded, this will be dropped. Cowards & bullies are known for bluster not performance. He is both. So I predict, once it costs him personally, & he gets his minions to blow enough smoke, he will slink back into his hole.

  4. The US Constitution (according to Trump):

    Article 1: The president has the absolute authority to do whatever he wants, whenever and wherever he wants and to whomever he wants and, in his absence, he can appoint anyone he likes to do it for him.
    Aricle 2: See Article 1

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