You will note that in my lede I stated that the biggest problem with today’s SCOTUS decision on Presidential immunity was the beneficiary of the decision itself, Donald John Trump. Not that the whole fiasco doesn’t stink to high heaven, it certainly does. The Roberts Court plainly took up this case with the single objective of protecting the Orange Ogre’s Presidential campaign and their party, like the good little Republican operatives they are. They even proceeded in their typically slimy way, handing down the decision on the last day of the current session so as limit blowback and to rub our faces in it.
That said I do not think that it was the purpose of the decision to let Trump off scot-free for the crimes he has most certainly committed and been charged with. Chief Justice John Roberts made this clear in his decision:
“In a novel and potentially consequential case on the limits of presidential power, the justices voted 6-3 along ideological lines to reject Trump’s broad claim of immunity, meaning the charges related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results will not be dismissed, but said some actions closely related to his core duties as president are off-limits to prosecutors…
…Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, said further proceedings are needed in lower courts to determine what conduct Trump can be prosecuted for. Among the conduct that the court determined to be core presidential powers and therefore subject to immunity are Trump’s contacts with Justice Department officials. Trump is also “presumptively immune” from being prosecuted for his contacts with Vice President Mike Pence in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by his supporters, Roberts wrote.”
To some extent I can understand Robert’s concern that a President be able to work with his Justice Department to investigate possible electoral irregularities but, as I stated above the problem with making that argument is Trump himself, who went so far beyond the legal limits of that function, i.e. conspiring with Justice Dept. officials and lawyers to create slates of fake electors and threaten state and local elected officials to change a certified vote as to warrant criminal charges. Same with his interactions with Pence which perhaps went as far as an attempt to murder. Robert’s desire to preserve the prerogative of future especially Republican Presidents to work with their Justice Departments on challenged elections probably resulted in his protecting Trump much more than was warranted.
Perhaps of more concern are the fears of Justice Sonia Sotomayor who perhaps understands what Roberts is dealing with better than the Chief does…
”Sotomayor, joined by fellow liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, argued that the decision created a “law-free zone around the President.”
“When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution,” Sotomayor wrote. “Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune.”
“Even if these nightmare scenarios never play out, and I pray they never do, the damage has been done,” she continued. “The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law.”
And her fears are being repeated across the liberal and progressive commitariat with good reason, I would say, more because of who Trump is than the content of the flawed decision itself.
Trump is already in full Gish Gallup, crowing about the ruling being a big win for him, when in fact it was a hastily crafted cope that, yes, will allow him to continue running, but does not necessarily free him of negative consequence should he lose…
“At a minimum, there will be further proceedings before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine what, if any, of the other conduct alleged in the indictment is protected. Among the acts she will review to determine if they are subject to immunity are Trump’s contacts with people outside of the federal government, including state election officials such as Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, whom Trump pressured to reject results showing Biden victories.”
Let us not give in to dispair just yet, our Republic may not be finished. Trump can be defeated and SCOTUS rulings reargued and new laws written.
From your pen to whatever god/desses that there may be Dino!
Been saying it for a while now-the six con xitians need to be removed from the bench and it can be by impeaching their asses or any other way (s) but they MUST be removed before our nation is completely and utterly destroyed…whatever hasn’t yet been destroyed by these six morons.
Oh, and btw, anything in this little fuck-up of theirs giving anykind of immunity to President Biden? If so, then run with it Joe!
If sending out seal team 6 is ok for von shitzinpants, and it apparently is, I suggest President Biden gets after it. Might as well rid us of this shit-stain trump once and for all. It does, after all, have the s.c.’s blessing. Sure would be nice to see something good come out of one of their moronic & fucked-up rulings and President Biden getting rid of von shitzi would be a fucking blessing for the nation.
GO GET HIM JOE!
Here’s hoping that every one of the Seditious Six (and they have effectively committed sedition with this ruling) finds their personal homes and their dinners out picketed all summer long.
They raised such a fuss after they reversed Roe and American citizens decided to express their First Amendment rights against the CONS (even acting shocked that mere mortals would dare cry out against the Berobed Elite). It would be nice if they got a second serving this summer.
would contact with dojo personnel and pence still be off limits if Trump asked or conspired with them to break the law? Smith and his people talked to pretty much everyone and collected lots of documents, emails etc. talking to someone is one thing. asking or ordering them to commit a crime is something else. Smith and Co. are more than a little smart and I bet they can work within this boundaries.
This FUCKING COURT of TRAITORS needs to be taken out. Joe Biden’s next OFFICIAL ACT AS PRESIDENT should be to take every single one of these CLOWNS off the court. Sure… it’s never been done before & Justices aren’t supposed to be taken off the court that way. But a President has never instigated an INSURRECTION TO TRY TO RETAIN POWER before either. This CORRUPT COURT has given that TRAITOR DON THE CON immunity for that.
So Joe Biden, it’s time to use your new found immunity for OFFICIAL ACTS FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY & TAKE OUT BOTH DON THE CON & 6 CORRUPT MEMBERS OF THE SCOTUS. RID THE COUNTRY OF THIS SCOURGE!
John Roberts lowered the American flag flying over the Supreme Court today, turned it upside down & rose it again. The CORRUPT MAGA RADICALS on the SCOTUS, of whom he leads have declared WAR ON DEMOCRACY IN THIS COUNTRY.
In The Shining, Mr. Grady, the incarnation of the former caretaker that had axed his family and killed himself, was busy influencing Jack Nicholson to kill his family. In discussing Danny, Jack’s psychic son, and using polite manners, he said: if you don’t mind me saying Mr. Torrance, he needs a good talking to…perhaps a bit more. Perhaps the same could be said about these seditious, privileged, nazi bastards. Bring fascism to America, and they may find some citizen, unwilling to go quietly in trump’s nazi regime, may want to have a good talk with them…or a bit more.