Y’all. This is beyond frightening. This is beyond horrifying. This is even beyond terrifying, to the point I don’t have a word strong enough to describe it. Hidden in the Big Ugly Bill is a phrase that is Very Bad News. It has to do with exactly what the header says. It’s about ignoring and/or crushing the courts. This is a short article from Raw Story, but it doesn’t need to be longer. Neither does my piece.
“No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if no security was given when the injunction or order was issued….”
WHAM. Translated: No federal court may enforce a contempt citation.
Obviously, courts need appropriated funds to do anything because Congress appropriates money to enable the courts to function. To require a security or bond to be given in civil proceedings seeking to stop alleged abuses by the federal government would effectively immunize such conduct from judicial review because those seeking such court orders generally don’t have the resources to post a bond.
Hence, with a stroke, the provision removes the judiciary’s capacity to hold officials in contempt.
And there we have it. If this goes through, Trump. Is. King. He doesn’t have to listen to the courts anymore. He doesn’t have to listen to Congress anymore. Even if a future Congress were to try to stop him, it could not do so without the power of the courts to enforce their hearings, investigations, subpoenas, and laws.
Now you see why I don’t have a word strong enough, I hope? If this goes through, there’s no way to “take it back”. The President is actually King and *nothing* can stop him. NOTHING. I can’t even. I can’t. There goes the USA. We won’t just be authoritarian, we’ll be a dictatorship. HOW could they miss this? Who put this in there? Is there not a single Republican who could stand up against it? Do they even realize what it MEANS??!!!
Even the Supreme Court would be powerless. The SUPREME COURT. No one would have the ability to appeal a case. Heck, it would be pointless to even try to bring a case about something. Contempt, whether civil or criminal, would be a thing of the past. How many judges are looking at contempt charges? I can think of 2 off the top of my head, and only because I don’t know if the case in front of Judge Xinis has gotten that far. I’m expecting it, though.
Judge Boasberg has the “planes flew to El Salvador anyhow”, and the Supreme Court said bring him back NOW. Yes, the Kilmar Abrego Garcia business is *still* going on. They’re being ignored. Right now, possible contempt is all we have left. I don’t know if *that* will have any effect.
No court of the United States may use appropriated funds. Reach out to your Congress critters, please. This needs to be spread far and wide and *soon*. I can’t even. Thanks for sticking with me!
*****And now, please read ******
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In the movie: The Man Who Would Be King, starring Michael Caine and Sean Connery as two ex British soliders during the time of Kipling, they are in uncharted territory in remote Asia. They scheme, fight, organize militias, and through luck, combined with being made a diety, they get led to treasure. Hubris led to trouble. Great movie showing where power corrupts, and where that leads. Both actors are at the top of their games. Nothing good will come from this.
That was a great movie! Agreed, nothing good will come from this, and that’s why I’m so worried. (Also, apologies for not answering your comments on previous columns yet…)
Yeah. King. King of bad ideas.
That, too. I think Bad Ideas should be a trademark of his.
didn’t Connery lose his head at the end? or fell into a canyon? either one would do.
Y’know, it’s been long enough since I’ve seen it that I don’t know. Wish I did, tho!
He was marched to a hanging rope bridge over a gorge thousands of feet deep. The monks cut the rope sending hin into a freefall, all the while singing. They crucified Peachy, Michael Caine. He’s retelling the story to Kipling. At the end he leaves Daniel’s crowned mummified head. There’s no explanation about how it all went down.