Trumpsters pretend that the courts are out of line, even that judges should be impeached when they don’t like the rulings, but that’s hogwash. Even Chief Justice Roberts is calling out that crap, which is saying something.
What’s actually happening is a pattern of very bad, even dangerous, courtroom conduct by Trump lawyers, I guess thinking that being MAGA entitles them to special rules and privileges — but not so. Here are examples.
1. Trump lawyers were warned by in-house agency counsel — twice — that saying employees were fired for poor performance would be “fraud” on the court. Yet they went ahead and did it anyway. It was expedient.
I voted against the horrible MAGA “continuing resolution” — a fake and partisan CR loaded up with executive power for Trump. I hated it. But respected colleagues voted otherwise, and not just to “cave in” versus “stand up.” 🧵
I did a lot research into how a shutdown might play out, and there was lots to fear; not least that the Trump/Musk/Vought axis of MAGA extremists would love a shutdown, and want a long one, and use it to cruel advantage. What was there to fear?
In shutdown, executive powers are at their apex, including power to close whole departments and agencies and divisions, “Reduction in Force” all their personnel, and make massive cuts of programs and firings of people they deem “non-essential.”
As we struggle with the Trumpian assault on America, there is a way home, and there is broad public agreement on its elements. Whatever the immediate issues and outrages, we must persistently and relentlessly pursue the pathway home.
1. Get rid of dark money in politics. Getting this corrupting toxin out of our elections enjoys powerful public support all across the country; even slightly better in red-leaning districts. Yet most voters don’t know who opposes and who defends dark money.
2. Spotlight the climate denial machine. The fossil fuel industry runs the biggest and most corrupting political influence and disinformation operation in U.S. history. Calling it out is important truth-telling as the economic dangers of climate change fall upon us.
This week’s 5-4 win for federal funding was less notable for the 5 than for the 4.
This was payment for contracts the government had agreed to where the work contracted for had been properly performed. How was that not 9-0?
🧵
The short answer is that it had the irresistible odor of MAGA, Musk and Trump. It was a Project 2025 thing, funded by the creepy far-right billionaires who also funded the capture of the Court; same network behind the justices’ Billionaire Gifts Program.
Imagine the counterfactual of a Democratic President withholding payment to a defense contractor for work properly performed under contract for the military. Do you believe the 4 would have faulted a federal judge for saying, “Pay what you agreed to”?
Many Democrats are asking what the path forward is, calling for a period of reflection. “Where did we go wrong? What is the way back?” Well, how about looking right in front of our own noses.
For years, creepy billionaires funded (and enjoyed) the destruction of America’s political money limits, and launched billions in corrupting dark money into American elections. Despite massive public reaction against that, Democrats basically let it happen.
(In the Senate, we managed two votes in 14 years on the DISCLOSE Act, despite 80/20 polling advantage and massive public response in state referenda. As a result, many voters don’t know Democrats are any better than Republicans on getting rid of dark money.)