Donald Trump uses a variety of tactics to get what he wants from people: He cajoles, he whines, he waves money around, makes promises. And sometimes, when that doesn’t work, he makes threats. Just like he’s doing now — threatening that if he is reelected president in 2024 he will “weaponize” the DOJ against Joe Biden.
Fortunately, he’s not president, and hopefully, he won’t be reelected in 2024. But right now, he’s trying one tactic that Watergate prosecutor Jon Sale says backfired when former President Richard Nixon tried it. Just as with Trump, when the Watergate scandal continued to unfold, a plethora of recordings were revealed. In one such recording, Nixon is heard suggesting that the four Supreme Court justices he nominated would remember and repay him for nominating them, Raw Story reports.
It’s a tactic that failed for Nixon, the former Watergate prosecutor said.
“there was a grand jury subpoena issued for white house tapes, and this very d.c. court of appeals weighed — because everything in law is balancing — weighed executive privilege, and they said that can be very legitimate.”
“But in this case, it gives way to violations of criminal law and the D.C. Court of Appeals had two sentences,” Sale said. “i hesitate to read. let me read you two sentences from this very court. they said that ‘sovereignty remains at all times with the people. they do not forfeit through elections the right to have the law construed against and applied to every citizen.’ they were saying president nixon was not above the law.”
This definitely shocked Nixon.
Perhaps Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba is unaware of what transpired when Nixon tried this scheme because she tried to call in a favor from Justice Brett Kavanaugh last week. Habba reminded him that the former president did a lot to help him when everyone else wanted the then-president to pull the nomination. While she didn’t say exactly how she did suggest it was time for him to pay up. Habba has also used her feminine wiles to get her way and tried out numerous other strategies to help her infamous client.
Nixon appointed four justices during his time in office, and Sale notes “On one of the tapes, he said I’m not worried because I appointed those justices. Turned out to be 8-0, their ruling against him on the issue of immunity and whether or not he had to turn over some crucial tapes.”
This, Sales said is why he believes Trump pressuring the SCOTUS will be a huge mistake for the former president.
“and if i may say one other thing, the trump tactic of a veiled threat, if you want to call it that, to the court will backfire,” sale explained. “donald trump himself said, well, i appointed some very smart justices, and you know, i hope that they’re fair. then one of his lawyers went on another network and said something like president trump fought like hell to get bratt kavanaugh confirmed and i sure hope he remembers that.”
But Sale is convinced the judges will stick to the rule of law, and noted “There are no Trump justices. There are no Obama justices. When we put on that robe, we’re justices, and I think that they’re going to try and stay out of a political hot potato.” This was, he noted, of special concern to the Founding Fathers when they were writing the principles of the law.
“that’s why we have equal branches of government, and i believe in court and the supreme court, no matter who appointed them, are going to do the right thing,” Sale concluded.
I have my doubts. Watergate was from a very different time. I’m not saying SCOTUS judges weren’t corrupt back then. I don’t know if they were or not. But we have obviously corrupt justices like Clarence Thomas, who is always for sale to the highest bidder. However, as The Jacobin points out, Thomas isn’t alone. Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Chief Justice John Roberts all have family members who received perks because they have relatives on the highest court in the land.
Of course, I’m definitely no legal expert here but considering the current state of the Supreme Court, I’m just not confident that the judges will remain unbiased.
Here’s what Sales has to say below.
SCOTUS potentially has the means to get revenge against a revengeful former and ineffectual POTUS – because of his revengeful pouting and posturing. Juicy, given POTUS thinks he owns SCOTUS. Not. The reality maybe a difficult dish, served cold, to the former ineffectual POTUS.
…Sale is convinced the judges will stick to the rule of law? really? From what I have seen the past few years five of them have no idea what in the f*ck the rule of law means. Now, had Sale stated the judges will do what the fed. soc. tells them to do, THAT I could buy. Following the rule of law however is not even on the radar of the con judges.
That’s why I noted that so many of the SCOTUS justices are corrupt. Thomas is merely the tip of the iceberg.
“Sovereignty remains at all times with the people. they do not forfeit through elections the right to have the law construed against and applied to every citizen.’ they were saying President Nixon was not above the law.”
And therefore Trump isn’t either.
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Roberts is aware of his legacy and will refuse to hear the case. Alito and Thomas care more about ideology and winning, so they will.vote to hear the caseevaluations e, but it is the Trump Triad everyone will koik.at hardest. Are they ideologue butt kissers or are they justices on the highest court. Will they go for short term gains without considering how this could back to haunt them down them down the road? Do they care more about power or their honor, duty and reputation?
My hope is that if they do hit and the case, they actually do the job honestly or say everyone lacks standing because Trump hasn’t been convicted.Yet.