People have been asking me why I've been so fixated on Leonard Leo lately
I'm concerned about the damage he has down to our courts
ONE-THIRD of current SCOTUS judges were HANDPICKED by 1 man
[THREAD]
Don't look to the MSM on this one: Mr Leo has flown pretty under the radar, considering what a central role he's played in GOP corruption.
Time for a proper roundup to see it all in one place.
Yesterday WaPo threw another log on the Scott Pruitt scandal dumpster fire:
Pruitt enlisted a top aide at EPA to find his wife a job through GOP donors.
1/washingtonpost.com/national/healt…
Marilyn Pruitt landed at Judicial Crisis Network (JCN)
JCN spokesman said the position came about after the group received her résumé from Leonard Leo, executive VP of the Federalist Society.
WaPo noted: The two organizations have financial ties. Quite an understatement 💸
2/
JCN & Federalist Society have more than financial ties. They are 2 major cogs in the GOP dark money churn.
JCN is a mutation of the Judicial Confirmation Network formed in 2005 to help Bush nominees get through confirmation.
Much like they did for Gorsuch in 2017.
3/
The purpose of JCN is to promote & enforce the agenda of Leonard Leo, a man who no one elected.
JCN muscle: Ad campaign going after Justice Roberts in 2015, 10 years after he got the guy confirmed.
4/ opensecrets.org/news/2015/11/w…
And he didn't need to pass along Marilyn Pruitt's resume to JCN.
Because Leonard Leo is JCN.
5/ citizensforethics.org/news/rule-law-…
“Administrator Pruitt and Leonard Leo are longtime close friends" (WaPo 5/7/18)
Some receipts:
6/
Pruitt & Leo go way back.
7/ washingtonpost.com/news/energy-en…
"Mr. Leo, email records from Mr. Pruitt’s Oklahoma office show, joined with Mr. Pruitt to help coordinate some of these efforts, and to raise money for them."
8/
How deep into the swamp does this friendship go?
Exhibit A: JCN ➕ Republican Attorneys General Association
9/ opensecrets.org/news/2015/11/w…
Exhibit B: JCN ▶️ RLP ▶️ RLDF
#FollowTheMoney
Pruitt was chair of Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF)
Leonard Leo is director of Rule of Law Project (ROLP)
10/ fastcompany.com/40428688/conse…
Exhibit C: Back in Oklahoma, Pruitt used AG office to cover his travels to speak at events hosted by The Federalist Society. Classy. Anything for Leo. ✈️
11/
In this friendship Leonard Leo wears several hats. I wonder which one Pruitt likes most....
Leonard Leo, the Travel Agent?
12/
Or does he prefer Leonard Leo, the Travel Companion?
13/ nytimes.com/2018/05/01/us/…
Or perhaps Leonard Leo, the Catholic Networker? (also Knights of Malta)
I hear he invites the best people to his dinner parties... ooops.
14/ cnn.com/2018/05/11/pol…
From what we know about Pruitt, he is cheap AF -- w/his own money
Safe bet his favorite Leo is the one who foots the bill
15/ washingtonpost.com/news/energy-en…
Trump got rid of HHS Sec Price who had a shorter rap sheet, but why why why won't he fire Scott Pruitt???
Because Leonard Leo says so. Trump's outranked...
MAYOR of the Swamp > POTUS
16/
This Pruitt situation is not the first time Trump took orders from the mayor.
Trump has no fucking clue what he is doing. He didn't do his homework but the swamp's more than happy to let him copy off theirs.
"A pipeline to the Trump admin.."
17/ slate.com/news-and-polit…
The pipeline actually runs not to, but THROUGH the Trump admin
...on its way to Court
4/7/17: Leo's 3rd SCOTUS pick is confirmed
Gorsuch, an "originalist" like Scalia.
18/ newyorker.com/magazine/2017/…
My thoughts re: GOP "originalist" con
If you care about Constitution you'd show at least a smidge of respect for Obama, a CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR
But you prefer Trump who wouldn't know difference if you read to him from constitution or bible
19/
Speaking of GOP (lack of) respect for Obama. Look who Mitch McConnell dined w/in 2010 when he blew off POTUS. Another Leo dinner party!
Mitch is Federalist Society's puppet & there's no space for bipartisanship on that (stolen) pipeline
Shameful
20/
Another notable member of Federalist Society member with deep Gorsuch ties and personal connections to JCN is Philip Anschutz: h/t @ninaandtito
21/
*DONE not down 🤬
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