If anyone missed this exposé of "Justice" #Kavanaugh (he's anything but a legit SCOTUS justice since he's lied under oath to Congress more than once, not to mention is a known "dirty trickster" trained by Ken #Starr and a GOP judge who specialized in "leaking" BS to media): here are the players from Starr's politically driven, corrupt, financed-by-billionaires persecution of the Clintons under color of DOJ. You will know them all: (article from 2018) https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/i-knew-brett-kavanaugh-during-his-years-republican-operative-don-ncna907391
By looking to future, #SCOTUS may push #Trump’s DC trial past election
With the #immunity claims before the #SupremeCourt on Thurs, the #judicial branch is being asked to draw a clear line about what a president can or cannot do.
The high court, w/3 Trump nominees, has generally not been receptive to Trump’s assertions of immunity, forcing him to comply w/a #subpoena & rejecting his efforts to block #Congress from accessing his tax records.
But close observers of the court said several of the justices also will not want to inappropriately rein in future chief execs from doing what the job requires.
At least 4, Chief Justice #JohnRoberts & Justices #Alito, #Kagan, #Kavanaugh — all of whom previously worked as lawyers in the WH or the #DOJ, are likely to be especially sensitive to the implications of their decision for future presidents.
On Thursday, the #scotus will be hearing arguments where lawyers for the criminal defendant are arguing that all former presidents are forever immune from criminal prosecution for any official acts done in office.
Failure to respect the election of a new President, is the ultimate crime against the people, who are the basis of government. The President, by constitutional design, should have no role- official or unofficial-in the determination of the people's
vote. Immunity for the crimes here alleged would be most abhorrent to the Framers, because immunity would upset the constitutional scheme and aid a President in overriding the people's power over him.
The Framers would also have been appalled that Trump, despite having left office, seeks permanent immunity. As a Federalist wrote for the Maryland ratifying convention:
It seems, however, that the president may possibly be continued for life. He may so, provided he deserve it.
@Marijke@skykiss of course it is. Remember he follows Nixon. "Well, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal." That is why #PresFord should never have pardoned #Nixon and why #kavanaugh is wrong. Most of us who lived through that nightmare believe it was wrong.
#SCOTUS is hearing a challenge today to a federal #law prosecutors used to charge >350 people who attacked the Capitol on #Jan6.
>100 have been convicted & sentenced under the statute for obstructing or impeding an ofcl proceeding—the joint session that convened to confirm Biden’s victory.
The case could impact #Trump’s federal trial in DC for trying to remain in power, 2 charges he faces are based on the same #obstruction statute.
It is not clear what protests #Alito was referring to Tues. In 2018, protesters opposed to the confirmation of #Kavanaugh pounded on the doors of #SCOTUS but did not make it inside. Protesters have also demonstrated outside justices’ homes. But protesting is specifically barred from taking place any closer to the #SupremeCourt than the sidewalk. It’s because of a #law dating to 1949, passed to avoid the perception that the justices are swayed by popular pressure rather than the law.
Justices #Alito & #Kavanaugh questioned the #DOJ’s use of the “obstruction of an official proceeding” charge, & whether Congress meant to turn illegal & disruptive protesting, a #misdemeanor punishable by only a year or less in prison, into a #felony that carries a potential 20-yr sentence.
Wasn’t it odd to tuck such a broad, “catchall” obstruction prohibition (under the govt’s interpretation) that carries such a severe penalty in the middle of a statute, #Kavanaugh asked. And was it not extreme to accept its 20-yr max penalty, when a similar offense in the next provision carried only a 3-yr penalty, #Alito asked. #SCOTUS#Jan6#law
#TheMetalDogArticleList #Loudwire
Woman Who Testified Against Supreme Court Justice Shares Love of Metallica in New Memoir
Years after testifying against Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, Christine Blasey Ford released a memoir that also highlights her love of Metallica.
Trump's #legal team appear to have misinterpreted what #SCOTUS Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a 2009 article to back up their claims that Trump can still cite #PresidentialImmunity once he has left office, as the judge—who was nominated to the SCOTUS bench by Trump—was only talking about incumbent presidents.
…In their #WritOfCertiorari asking #SCOTUS to overturn a lower court decision rejecting the #AbsoluteImmunity defense, #Trump's #legal team cited a section from a MN #law review article from #Kavanaugh stating "any President who is concerned about an ongoing #criminal investigation is almost inevitably going to do a worse job as President."
However, in the same article Kavanaugh goes on to state that he does not believe fmr presidents are #immune from prosecution as "no one is above the law"….
"The point is not to put the President above the #law or to eliminate checks on the President, but simply to defer litigation & investigations UNTIL THE PRESIDENT IS OUT OF OFFICE," #Kavanaugh wrote.
…taking Kavanaugh's…remarks out of context may end up backfiring on #Trump.
"It's a good move to try to put the justices back at themselves.…" @RyanGoodman said.
“The problem for Trump is that it's not really what Kavanaugh was saying.…so it actually might turn him off," Goodman added.
The case involves a lawsuit initiated by… #Missouri & #Louisiana & individual #SocialMedia users. They accuse the #Biden admin of violating the #FirstAmendment by operating a sprawling federal “censorship enterprise” to #influence platforms…. Justices #Kagan & #Kavanaugh, who previously worked in Democratic & Republican admins, respectively, suggested that such exchanges were routine occurrences & did not amount to #censorship or #coercion in violation of the constitutional right to #FreeSpeech.
If Trump is de facto immune, well then SO IS BIDEN. Time to start acting accordingly, President For Life Biden. 🤷🏽 This what they want. Give it to them.
#SCOTUS sided w/ the #Biden admin on Mon & cleared the way for #border patrol agents to remove #RazorWire#Texas ofcls installed along a busy stretch of the southern border until the legality of the barriers is resolved in court.
4 conservatives — Justices #ClarenceThomas, Samuel #Alito, Neil #Gorsuch & Brett #Kavanaugh — noted their dissents w/o explanation.
On Wednesday, Justices Brett M. #Kavanaugh & Neil M. #Gorsuch, both nominees of #Trump, took turns peppering the #Biden admin w/skeptical questions as Solicitor General Elizabeth B. #Prelogar defended the Trump admin initiative — & the longstanding #Chevron#precedent.
Kavanaugh said Chevron has allowed #federal agencies to flip flop & impose new rules each time a new admin takes over, leaving judges w/little choice but defer to the changing interpretations of agency officials.
"Alina Habba, one of former President Donald Trump’s lawyers, says in an interview with Fox News that United States Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh will “step up” for the man who appointed him to the high court."
But this time, despite the document’s length, Justice Neil M. #Gorsuch wrote back just 10 mins later to say that he would sign on to the opinion & had no changes…. The next morning, Justice #ClarenceThomas added his name, then Justice #AmyConeyBarrett, & days later, Justice Brett M. #Kavanaugh. None requested a single alteration. The responses looked like a display of #conservative force & discipline.