No matter what happens to this case, History owes a debt of gratitude to Judge Tanya Chutkan for unsealing this motion. Otherwise we and our descendants may never have seen this damning evidence. Hopefully, with such evidence, in the future, Americans will judge Trump for what he is:
She knew exactly what she was doing all along. Wait until tomorrow when those hyping a mini-trial that ain't anything like a trial , one that they would NOT hear or see and learn team Trump's written response went POOF until 7Nov as did their WETDREAM because Judge Chutkan is a fair and prudent Jurist not a partisan with axes to grind and wants to see blood in the water, if not the streets. Justice is a woman who knows how to balance more than one thing and do so blindfolded.
I am constantly amazed at how the justices of conscience and the Constitution can co-exist with their treasonous colleagues. It must strain all bounds of collegiality and professionalism to be helpless before these curs.
I think the answer will depend on the outcome of the election. Not whether Trump wins or not, he won't, but how much did he lose by. SCOTUS may want to cut him loose and move on to screwing the country on Leonard Leo's behalf.
If the majority of SCOTUS is corrupt what good would Trump be to them as a loser for life? You know he can't run again. Why sacrifice their dignity, self respect and legacy for a zero?
They are not owned by trump, who is only an instrument. They are owned by those who fund their trips, private jets, etc etc etc., and none of whom are dependent upon elections.
The fascist/MAGA movement in America is backed by powerful international mega-billionaires who want a power/money playground that would be more fun without pesky public-protecting, leader-rotating democracies. The “Light on a Hill” Reagan spoke of makes the merry-go-round ring of US Democracy the juiciest of all.
Apparently, not even Democrats consider the specter of the seething, hoarse, power-hungry, mostly hidden hands safe to enlighten the electorate with, let alone media. But we in communities like this must bear no illusions. The Thomas trips, et. al. are likely the tip of the iceberg. The beneficiaries are power-drunk wealth accumulees. (Don’t bother looking that one up…)
Of course he can run again! If he loses, he certainly can; if he "wins," bet your life he'll find a way to either run again or simply cancel future elections. Emergency declaration suspending the Constitution or something similar.
He ain't EVER going to leave office alive if he gets back in. What, and face all those courts and trials again? No way!
Did you notice the batch of ’Vance as successor’ articles yesterday? MSN priming the pump for him to pick up the fascist leadership mantle. Perhaps the October surprise will be Vance atop of the ticket?
No I don't watch or read much corporate media. I think this has been the plan though: get dumpy elected then the big switch. He is a scary character since he has zero values except accumulating money and power.
Thank you, Lucian, for reading all 165 pages of Smith's motion. Thanks to the court's fascist wing, as you say, TCFG is now legally a class of one, a Very Special Boy, all of whose legal whinings will fall on the docket of that glacial and corrupted body. So Jack Smith deserves hazardous duty pay and a medal for service above and beyond the call of duty. So here's the state of play:
* We have to whup TCFG's behind and hand it to him on a platter in the election.
* We all need to keep madly writing postcards, phonebanking, and canvassing our tails off, and donating beyond our comfort level.
* Stop worrying and do the work. "Do more, worry less." - Simon Rosenberg, Hopium
* Work to increase the Senate majority and flip the House, too.
* "Never, never, never, never, never give up!" - Winston Churchill
Here is the not just easy but logical answer to your question. Donald Trump is a client of the firm of Roberts, Thomas, Alito and partners.
I am not going to spend a lot of digits on stating the obvious about the judicial "leanings" of the likes of Thomas, Alito and the other three junior members of the Freedom Caucus but I would simply like to point out the leader of the cabal and his history of siding with money and power against, yes, The People. Chief Justice Roberts was the deciding vote in Citizens United and its logic that money is speech; He wrote the affirmative decision which killed the Voting Rights Act reasoning racism was no longer a factor in American politcal life; and, just recently he took it upon himself to provide a President what amounts to a get out of jail free card so long as he sits in the Oval Office. Unlike the Chief I still cannot reason how organizing a plot to overthrow an election is an "official act" but I did not go to a prestigious law school so shame on me.
The evidence presented by Smith which I would like to emphasize is based on sworn testimony from the likes of Pence, Meadows and a score of other Trump sycophants and toadies who figured out they did not want to die on his cross of gold so this will boil down to what nine justices classify as "official acts." My bet is the Roberts Six will interpret that as broadly as possible. But, since this case may never come to trial they all might avoid the embarassment of being the toadiest of toads if Trump wins and immediately instructs DOJ to drop the case. Then this Court can get back to its business of reconstructing an elite ruling class just short of a monarchy.
When the definitive history of the Roberts Court is written there will be an asterisk by the name of the six who now vote "conservatively." It will read "the best Court money could buy."
My intuit from "Chief Justice Roberts was the deciding vote in Citizens United and its logic that money is speech" & "since this case may never come to trial" is a conclusion that money may speak quietly in some ears, should Trump lose the election, that it will be better for all that he not live to stand trial.
At 65 I still have the naive and youthful optimistic hope that he will eventually face justice and be forced to serve a penalty for one of his major crimes. I want the bastard to die in a prison bed.
I read all of this info with great interest. It's stomach turning and fascinating. It's complicated and very basic. It has everything you would want in a horror, suspense novel and it's our current reality. I'm going to brush up my Member of the Resistance card for any oligarchy. Also, glad I'm old!😵💫
The only solution is a Harris win and the House and Senate Democrat. Then she can pack the court with liberal judges, outnumbering the conservatives. The rest will follow. Also, Merrick Garland must go, replaced by a pitbull AG.
He lies every time he opens his mouth. If we thump him in November, really rattle his cage, with any luck atall he'll assume room temperature be,fire too much longer.
First we "!@#%&*%#!" Then we get back to work to elect Harris, Walz, a Democratic Congress, and every Democrat on our ballots. Then we persist, persist, and work like hell to defend our democracy and protect our country and ourselves from authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption. We CAN do it. We MUST do it.
J.D. (guys, no fair, the Rules were no fact-checking) Vance shifted today away from his nice-guy persona, whining to a reporter that Trump did win the election. I like LTK's idea here, the S.Ct. made up this immunity mess, let them hold the trial instead of endless appeals back and forth. Not that it much matters, the Court will do what it wants, which is never to rule against Der Fuhrer, since to Republicans the truth is meaningless anyway. All we can do is get out the vote and ignore the natural impulse to treat these treasonous liars fairly.
jdv, knowing that Walz would expect him to treat the debate like a demolition derby, adopted his Mr Nice Guy persona as a deliberate tactic to throw Walz off-balance, Axios reported. Lasted till the tv cameras were turned off..
I can't help wondering if JDV was counting on there being no fact checking.
Also, I was infuriated each time JDV accused Vice-President Kamala Harris for failing to make decisions or take actions that the VP has no power to take, or to make laws to solve immigration and other problems. I was pleased to hear a young man, Marcus, in a focus group following the debate, who pointed out clearly that JDV obviously never took a civics class or he would have known that the vice-president's role is to undertake the assignments that the president asks the VP to undertake. Marcus went on to say that that's exactly why students need civics classes in schools.
Jethro Dull knows the duties of the VP. He's talking to the MAGAt base that has no clue about US civics. It's disgusting that so many are susceptible to this bullshit as a result of idiocy.
While the Supreme Court's role in this "class of one" caper is scary indeed, I can't help but think back to when all this was taking place. You quote someone saying the press isn't taking these new Jack Smith revelations seriously today, true. But I recall how CASUALLY the Times/Post et all reported on these actions as they occurred in late '20/early /21. How Rudy and Jenna Ellis would show up in Michigan and somehow conjure up a session with state legislators to demand answers to vote counting procedures -- as if this were a normal, sane occurrence. Or how county voting clerks (enjoy jail, finally Tina Peters!) allowed random nobodies into secure sites to download voter information and give it to the MyPillow guy. Reported as just another day in an election cycle. There was no sense of "this ain't right, folks" from the vaunted 4th estate at all!
With clear signs of his decomposition, is anyone anticipating an "illness" challenge or a defense of mental-disability-for-a-moment [ my words ] even IF he ever goes to trial?? To focus on Judge C's and J Smith's courage and commitment helps shore up m-y sanity.
Lucien, you of the old guard in many ways, are a voice these miserable justices should listen to - that they are deaf to so many voices decrying their craven behavior tells us how empty their core belief in the best ideals of the country are.
No matter what happens to this case, History owes a debt of gratitude to Judge Tanya Chutkan for unsealing this motion. Otherwise we and our descendants may never have seen this damning evidence. Hopefully, with such evidence, in the future, Americans will judge Trump for what he is:
a traitor to our country.
She knew exactly what she was doing all along. Wait until tomorrow when those hyping a mini-trial that ain't anything like a trial , one that they would NOT hear or see and learn team Trump's written response went POOF until 7Nov as did their WETDREAM because Judge Chutkan is a fair and prudent Jurist not a partisan with axes to grind and wants to see blood in the water, if not the streets. Justice is a woman who knows how to balance more than one thing and do so blindfolded.
Or, a further confirmation of an already known fact.
86 45 STAT!!!
I am constantly amazed at how the justices of conscience and the Constitution can co-exist with their treasonous colleagues. It must strain all bounds of collegiality and professionalism to be helpless before these curs.
Fabulous dissection, Doctor T., and for letting me know, surprise! that I live in an oligarchy. Isn't this particular one pronounced oily-garky?
😂😂
I think the answer will depend on the outcome of the election. Not whether Trump wins or not, he won't, but how much did he lose by. SCOTUS may want to cut him loose and move on to screwing the country on Leonard Leo's behalf.
If the majority of SCOTUS is corrupt what good would Trump be to them as a loser for life? You know he can't run again. Why sacrifice their dignity, self respect and legacy for a zero?
They are not owned by trump, who is only an instrument. They are owned by those who fund their trips, private jets, etc etc etc., and none of whom are dependent upon elections.
John, you have hit the nail on the head.
The fascist/MAGA movement in America is backed by powerful international mega-billionaires who want a power/money playground that would be more fun without pesky public-protecting, leader-rotating democracies. The “Light on a Hill” Reagan spoke of makes the merry-go-round ring of US Democracy the juiciest of all.
Apparently, not even Democrats consider the specter of the seething, hoarse, power-hungry, mostly hidden hands safe to enlighten the electorate with, let alone media. But we in communities like this must bear no illusions. The Thomas trips, et. al. are likely the tip of the iceberg. The beneficiaries are power-drunk wealth accumulees. (Don’t bother looking that one up…)
What self respect?
Of course he can run again! If he loses, he certainly can; if he "wins," bet your life he'll find a way to either run again or simply cancel future elections. Emergency declaration suspending the Constitution or something similar.
He ain't EVER going to leave office alive if he gets back in. What, and face all those courts and trials again? No way!
Time to spike the catsup...
He's not gonna live forever thank the Goddess - may he meet his maker sooner than later!
Did you notice the batch of ’Vance as successor’ articles yesterday? MSN priming the pump for him to pick up the fascist leadership mantle. Perhaps the October surprise will be Vance atop of the ticket?
No I don't watch or read much corporate media. I think this has been the plan though: get dumpy elected then the big switch. He is a scary character since he has zero values except accumulating money and power.
They owe him...?
Yes, at some point he becomes expendable like an aging cartel boss....
Which they are already doing.
Thank you, Lucian, for reading all 165 pages of Smith's motion. Thanks to the court's fascist wing, as you say, TCFG is now legally a class of one, a Very Special Boy, all of whose legal whinings will fall on the docket of that glacial and corrupted body. So Jack Smith deserves hazardous duty pay and a medal for service above and beyond the call of duty. So here's the state of play:
* We have to whup TCFG's behind and hand it to him on a platter in the election.
* We all need to keep madly writing postcards, phonebanking, and canvassing our tails off, and donating beyond our comfort level.
* Stop worrying and do the work. "Do more, worry less." - Simon Rosenberg, Hopium
* Work to increase the Senate majority and flip the House, too.
* "Never, never, never, never, never give up!" - Winston Churchill
*
Here is the not just easy but logical answer to your question. Donald Trump is a client of the firm of Roberts, Thomas, Alito and partners.
I am not going to spend a lot of digits on stating the obvious about the judicial "leanings" of the likes of Thomas, Alito and the other three junior members of the Freedom Caucus but I would simply like to point out the leader of the cabal and his history of siding with money and power against, yes, The People. Chief Justice Roberts was the deciding vote in Citizens United and its logic that money is speech; He wrote the affirmative decision which killed the Voting Rights Act reasoning racism was no longer a factor in American politcal life; and, just recently he took it upon himself to provide a President what amounts to a get out of jail free card so long as he sits in the Oval Office. Unlike the Chief I still cannot reason how organizing a plot to overthrow an election is an "official act" but I did not go to a prestigious law school so shame on me.
The evidence presented by Smith which I would like to emphasize is based on sworn testimony from the likes of Pence, Meadows and a score of other Trump sycophants and toadies who figured out they did not want to die on his cross of gold so this will boil down to what nine justices classify as "official acts." My bet is the Roberts Six will interpret that as broadly as possible. But, since this case may never come to trial they all might avoid the embarassment of being the toadiest of toads if Trump wins and immediately instructs DOJ to drop the case. Then this Court can get back to its business of reconstructing an elite ruling class just short of a monarchy.
When the definitive history of the Roberts Court is written there will be an asterisk by the name of the six who now vote "conservatively." It will read "the best Court money could buy."
My intuit from "Chief Justice Roberts was the deciding vote in Citizens United and its logic that money is speech" & "since this case may never come to trial" is a conclusion that money may speak quietly in some ears, should Trump lose the election, that it will be better for all that he not live to stand trial.
At age 77, my main goal is to outlive TFG.
I'll be 84 in late December, but that is my goal as well. Since my grandmother went to 97 and my mother went to 99, I just may make it.....
At 65 I still have the naive and youthful optimistic hope that he will eventually face justice and be forced to serve a penalty for one of his major crimes. I want the bastard to die in a prison bed.
Please vote before you go!
As it is Jimmy Carter’s goal to vote for KAMALA!
Ditto, as long as I can stay reasonably healthy.
72 here, Leigh. I hear ya!!
Thanks ❣️
I read all of this info with great interest. It's stomach turning and fascinating. It's complicated and very basic. It has everything you would want in a horror, suspense novel and it's our current reality. I'm going to brush up my Member of the Resistance card for any oligarchy. Also, glad I'm old!😵💫
Same here... one of the only perks of age! We won't have to endure this oligarchy for a long time.
In my opinion he is a traitor. That on top of his many crimes over the decades.
Spot on!
The only solution is a Harris win and the House and Senate Democrat. Then she can pack the court with liberal judges, outnumbering the conservatives. The rest will follow. Also, Merrick Garland must go, replaced by a pitbull AG.
WHEN he loses, not "if," please!! Thank you Lucian.
He said, "he won't." That was good enough for me.
Guess I missed that.
He lies every time he opens his mouth. If we thump him in November, really rattle his cage, with any luck atall he'll assume room temperature be,fire too much longer.
Before, not be,fire.
First we "!@#%&*%#!" Then we get back to work to elect Harris, Walz, a Democratic Congress, and every Democrat on our ballots. Then we persist, persist, and work like hell to defend our democracy and protect our country and ourselves from authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption. We CAN do it. We MUST do it.
Not one step back! Keep up
the momentum! Vote blue all
the way! Persist!
J.D. (guys, no fair, the Rules were no fact-checking) Vance shifted today away from his nice-guy persona, whining to a reporter that Trump did win the election. I like LTK's idea here, the S.Ct. made up this immunity mess, let them hold the trial instead of endless appeals back and forth. Not that it much matters, the Court will do what it wants, which is never to rule against Der Fuhrer, since to Republicans the truth is meaningless anyway. All we can do is get out the vote and ignore the natural impulse to treat these treasonous liars fairly.
jdv, knowing that Walz would expect him to treat the debate like a demolition derby, adopted his Mr Nice Guy persona as a deliberate tactic to throw Walz off-balance, Axios reported. Lasted till the tv cameras were turned off..
I can't help wondering if JDV was counting on there being no fact checking.
Also, I was infuriated each time JDV accused Vice-President Kamala Harris for failing to make decisions or take actions that the VP has no power to take, or to make laws to solve immigration and other problems. I was pleased to hear a young man, Marcus, in a focus group following the debate, who pointed out clearly that JDV obviously never took a civics class or he would have known that the vice-president's role is to undertake the assignments that the president asks the VP to undertake. Marcus went on to say that that's exactly why students need civics classes in schools.
Jethro Dull knows the duties of the VP. He's talking to the MAGAt base that has no clue about US civics. It's disgusting that so many are susceptible to this bullshit as a result of idiocy.
Thanks for reading the whole thing. I read about half and thought, Lucian will read the whole thing and make sense of it. I'll wait, I get too upset.
While the Supreme Court's role in this "class of one" caper is scary indeed, I can't help but think back to when all this was taking place. You quote someone saying the press isn't taking these new Jack Smith revelations seriously today, true. But I recall how CASUALLY the Times/Post et all reported on these actions as they occurred in late '20/early /21. How Rudy and Jenna Ellis would show up in Michigan and somehow conjure up a session with state legislators to demand answers to vote counting procedures -- as if this were a normal, sane occurrence. Or how county voting clerks (enjoy jail, finally Tina Peters!) allowed random nobodies into secure sites to download voter information and give it to the MyPillow guy. Reported as just another day in an election cycle. There was no sense of "this ain't right, folks" from the vaunted 4th estate at all!
Question. Why hasn't the My Pillow guy been thrown under the jail for his treachery?
Seen any ads lately?
With clear signs of his decomposition, is anyone anticipating an "illness" challenge or a defense of mental-disability-for-a-moment [ my words ] even IF he ever goes to trial?? To focus on Judge C's and J Smith's courage and commitment helps shore up m-y sanity.
Lucien, you of the old guard in many ways, are a voice these miserable justices should listen to - that they are deaf to so many voices decrying their craven behavior tells us how empty their core belief in the best ideals of the country are.