458 Comments

Is there anyone out there who believes the Federal Courts aren’t completely compromised. With a Supreme Court completely willing to ignore all precedent, there is no sacred rule of law. Not even those rights specifically enumerated are safe. Without an independent judiciary the whole system is out of balance and cannot be righted at the ballot box. I fear it will take a more revolutionary action to resolve the problem of a runaway judiciary. I truly fear for the future of this country.

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I mean, they were classified documents!

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Apparently, Aileen Cannon didn't attend any middle school classes in Civics or American History & Government. The great majority of those of us who did study those subjects clearly know that it is akin to treason to do what Trump did with classified documents. One doesn't even need a law degree.

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Cannon has one job and one job only “Protect Trump”. Her boss Leonard Leo is giving her high marks

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Nah, I suspect she is being COACHED by an as yet unknown Heritage Foundation attorney who can make mincemeat of the meaning of the word, "the" or "and."

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Coached on the one hand and likely threatened on the other.

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I've been thinking that for a while, too!

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YES! This internal bullying would make such a great expose! (I don't know how to add the accent over the e). Carrots and sticks. They offer bribes and rewards (like whatever was offered to Nikki Haley for relinquishing her delegates and giving her full throated support after whole-heartedly condemning Trump) and also make it "an offer you can't refuse" through threats of violence to person, home, career, and family and sicing the rabid dogs on detractors. The list of bullied and cowed people with big chips on their shoulders must be growing!

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Think Federalist Society

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Akin to treason would be my legal terminology as well. No legal training. Maybe it's Cannon's defiance of every other ruling on appointing a special counsel that sets her apart at the moment. Then it is jarring for the new doctrine of presidential immunity to make it much harder to apply the criminal law to someone adjudicated to have committed the endorsement of false business records to defraud voters, and to have committed sexual assault, in the crimes related to insurrection and schemes to subvert the 2020 presidential election results to remain in power.

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deletedJul 16
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She is also a member of the Federalist Society, which I see having its imprint (aka advice) all over this case. Fascists don't care about civics or history other than to twist it to their benefit. In the world she is supporting, she is making a case for her to be kept at home and pregnant unless she can be useful in other ways. For the Autocracy she gets an A++.

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Oh, God! Please no further corruption of the gene pool!

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I did know that she was born in Colombia, which makes it even more pathological that she has perverted justice to protect a convicted felon who, by the way, disparages Hispanic immigrants every day of the week!

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The classified documents take this case into espionage territory. This case deals with the national security of this nation. Who knows who has seen these documents? Has a foreign agent(s) seen them? Did trump sell some of them? This horrible, horrible man is hurting this nation so badly, and the judges are HELPING him! The immunity opinion is not just a bad opinion; it is the opposite of the Constitution. Here is an old quote I read many years ago, "The law is but man's opinion." In other words, the law is whatever we say it is. It is a terrible time in this country when the judiciary sides with a traitorous man who happened to be president.

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In my first week of law school I recall my answer to a law professor’s question, “How will the judge rule in this case?” It was, “However he wants to.”

My class burst out laughing. The professor instructed them, “He may be more correct than you think or will be taught in the next 3 years.”

Now, some 30+ years later, I believe my answer more than ever.

My biggest concern with all of Trump’s cases is the Supreme Court’s immunity decision after the D.C.’s Appellate decision(3-0).It appeared to capture 100% agreement of every attorney who reviewed it and commented.

Joyce called Trump’s fortune, “luck” with the decisions so far. The actions by his hand picked, 3 justices on SCOTUS, could be predicted and throw in the two, bought and paid for, justices (Alito & Thomas) and we have all the makings of a future never predicted by our founding fathers.

Hang on boys and girls. It is going to get a lot worse for decades.

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It is treason and now Cannon is complicit in it. Can we charge her with obstruction of justice and violation of the espionage act?

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It is treasonous but not treason.

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We have a three tier legal system. Rules don’t apply to the ultra wealthy oligarchs (top tier). Rules apply to most people (favored people in the middle, predominantly white males in many cases, but group membership varies by issue). Rules are mis-applied or manufactured to suppress disfavored groups (women, blacks, Latinos, LBGTQ+, Native Americans, immigrants, etc - again, who is in this group varies by issue ). Thus an oligarch who steals classified documents is shielded from accountability. A favored person doing same would lose their government job and go to prison. Someone from the lower caste doing same would receive a harsher penalty available. The way this plays out differs by issue. Health care, economic and political rights create even more savage examples of oppression vs privilege. Our legal system is part of the larger caste system that defines our society. Facts (“they are classified documents “) matter less than caste membership in determining how an infraction is treated.

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Thank you Robert, very well said and so true. You describe perfectly the reality we live in. The thing is, if authoritarianism takes over the U.S., it will be so, so much worse. Authoritarians rule by terror. You either fall in line or they kill you. Let's not let that become the reality we live in.

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I have read Isabel Wilkerson's "Caste", and you echo her exactly. I also thank you for pointing this out so well.

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Reality Winner was sentenced to 5 years for stealing ONE classified document and Trump had hundreds, if not more.

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Don't any of you get caught with that stuff.

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Made me laugh.

Thanks!

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I'm already fearing in the present; things have been falling apart in droves. I don't understand why the legislators are not frantic to tighten up the systems that have been exposed as having no or low guardrails.

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Because half the legislators are in on it.

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Through filibuster rules, the republicans control (block) most Senate actions. Through a slim vote majority and this speaker/committee control, same applies in the House. Democrats in Congress seem to be asleep at the wheel. Congress couldn’t protect voting rights, women’s rights to control their own bodies and health care, LGBTQ+ rights, freedom from religious oppression… and now we have a SCOTUS that makes up the law regardless of what Congress does or did legislate. The structure is broken. Ethics and truth are gone.

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I believe that republicans are the main reason this important issues can't get through congress.

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This is why it is so important, not only to win the Presidential election, but to return the House & Senate to Democrat majorities.

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It's the "in droves." There is just too much and that is the exact strategy of authoritrianism, create chaos which distracts, overwhelms, and buries.

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'The

Borowitz

Report' (Satire)

'Biden Uses Presidential Immunity to Replace Judge Cannon with his Dog Commander'

JUL 16

'WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Using the sweeping presidential immunity recently granted him by the U.S. Supreme Court, President Biden on Tuesday replaced Judge Aileen Cannon with his dog, Commander.'

'The legal community’s initial reaction to the appointment was favorable, with most experts agreeing that Judge Commander is an improvement over Judge Cannon.'

'In his first official act, the German Shepherd reversed Cannon’s ruling on the Trump documents case by eating it.'

'President Biden had no comment on Commander’s decision, other than', “Good boy.”

'In a positive development for Judge Cannon, a GoFundMe has been established to send her to law school.' (Satire)

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Priceless! Thank you. I'd love to see this happen for real.

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Susan, I laugh whenever I cruise past Borowitz. The pro-democracy wing of America needs humor, perhaps, as much if not more than tragedy. The presidential and national elections would get through to Americans with the drama of comedy, satire, mirroring and a touch of 'All In The Family'. Burying the Fascists with laughs and true 'real life' depictions their horror shows would hit the mark.

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Where does one find Borowitz? I could really use more good laughs these days.

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Thank you, Fern. I have signed up for it.

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We ought to go stand outside the Supreme Court with signs protesting “the Supreme Court Is CORRUPT!”

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They're not around. They're on summer break probably grifting more private yacht & jet trips.

Does anyone follow them around???

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actually, Joe Biden has put about 200 judges on the courts during his term, but I'm not certain they would be protected unless they have life terms.

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All federal judges are lifetime appointments. But with such a compromised SCOTUS every appeal is no longer subject to precedent making the whole system subject to the whims of this skewed Supreme Court.

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Sinclair Lewis. " it can't happen here" -- even as it happens.

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as we literally watch it happen, every single day, in real time and on TV

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exactly

It isn't like we are without direct evidence (unlike, probably, the 1930s).

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The ones he appointed are federal judges of course, and they do have lifetime appointments.

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According to SCOTUS, POTUS could remove or assassinate them without consequence. After all, if appointment is an Article II responsibility, isn't removal by fiat? This is the world into which the Roberts court has delivered us.

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Except that we have a Mr. Rogers as President, in a situation that calls for Mr. (Walter) White.

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Last night, again, I was unable to sleep because I worry that our democracy/country is vanishing before our eyes. I have a friend who believes at some point, cheetolini and company will be stopped because of our so-called system of checks and balances. I point out to her that the courts are now compromised in his favor, so who/ what will rescue our democracy? Still she has faith. I believe we are in for very bad times ahead.

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I see it the same as you. Also, couldn't sleep last night.

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And it's scary that some people are. Just the SCOTUS immunity ruling by itself is so frightening to me, not just for this election, but it will be hanging over our heads for long time to come.

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Trump's army of lawyers and mobsters have scrutinized our system and found every little leak and loophole. Look at how they have handled his indictments. Our checks and balances are falling by the wayside. The judicial system seems to make no pretenses of keeping up appearances. I am also concerned about our police forces and miltary. In 2020, every single republican memnber fo the house voted against a bill to root out extremism in the armed forces. The bill passed, but the message is there, loud and clear, we support extremism. I was interested to hear this morning (was it here?) that there are some far right folks who don't think Trump is far enough right for them, and there is talk about eliminating him so that Mike Flynn can become prez. Could that be who the shooter was following? (We have to be careful about assuming anything about the shooter.) Ay-yi-yi.

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I am not afraid. I am going to continue to fight for my children's and grandchildren's future.

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In the movie : Biden gets elected, all judges involved in trump protection are impeached, all members of congress who aided the Jan 6th coup are jailed, all citizens who sent death threats to judges, jurors, election workers are deported, and all loyal citizens who protected democracy get $1000.

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Oh yeah and niki haley and elon musk go to live on mars.

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There are a few more I would send just cuz the rocket ship is already headed that way! :)

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I'm good with that. Send 'em up with a tent and a case of water.

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founding

I was just going to write this: is there anyone else who believes we have a wide and deep problem of corruption in our Federal Court system?

I couldn't agree with you more, Ann .... I'm also wondering if Peter Thiel, Leonard Leo, and many, many other people with money have already penetrated our democratic system in a deep and wide way, so that the election will roll us right into a smoothly working autocracy. There are too many things happening right now that show some important institutions compromised.

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Something is going on. They are not even afraid of appearances anymore. It's like a constant middle finger to Americans. The immunity ruling? Thomas's "Hey, here's an idea for ya..." to Cannon? Cannon doing it and dropping it on the eve of the RNC??? SCOTUS getting bribes and not reporting them? Fitfh circuit in TX, like everything they do?

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Kim, They have no fear of action.

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For proof, Emile, read Nancy MacLean’s Democracy in Chains. However, we are in the majority and must work to elect Democrats up and down the ticket to preserve the rule of law and democracy. Determination in countering voter suppression and a huge voter turnout can overcome their networks and billions.

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founding

Thanks for the suggestion - I'll check it out!

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Our 7th Circuit has been good so far, but we're up in the wilderness "where there be monsters".

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All is not lost. Not every judge makes their rulings based on which president appointed them. You are not wrong about this supreme court but with the presidency and the house and senate we can enact better rules of conduct for the Supremes (not the amazing music group led by Dianna Ross). I think bar associations might be able to censure bad judges. I don't know. Certainly lots of legal minds have thrown some shade their way. We need to vote. Biden will not enact or use the new powers intended for Trumpidoodle. The senate republicans packed the court cynically. We might expand the court I guess, or hope there are vacancies a democratic President can fill. Plus I think most of the lawyers I listen to, like Joyce still believe in the integrity of courts as a whole, even as we're seeing unprecedented partisanship and jarring rulings on immunity, and concurrences that just happen to help old skiffless from the supreme court. Mass civil actions during war or during segregation, or the me too movement, or even smaller scale actions can help stop Trump from returning to power, but the ballot box is the revolutionary action we can take. Voters can stop Trump. Voters can less immediately impeach corrupt judges. What happens if Trump does return to power? There will still be centers of integrity and non-violent resistance everywhere. I don't know but I hope we don't have to confront our Orban on day one. Vote Blue!

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Jul 16·edited Jul 16

It's like being in a car with no brakes. Every judge must have opinions and even some partisan leanings. But Cannon seems to be actually working as an interested party. We expect judges, especially in the higher courts, to be disinterested, less blatantly serially partisan.

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Just as the sun seems to be pretty hot, sitting in the center of the solar system.

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The sun is hot and in the center because it’s necessary for this to be happening.

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I still believe, from what I've seen, that some of the courts are still sane. I just wish that courts that made good decisions would have the final say in the cases they handle.

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For example, a President appointing a judge to the Supreme Court is an official act.

How about President Biden appoints 5 judges to the court on Friday?

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Love the idea, but unless being "king" makes the process go away, they'd still have to get senate confirmation.

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I agree with your statement that it will take a more revolutionary action as the rule of law has been so compromised by the courts that is no longer a rule at all.I don't know what this action may be but something has got to be done.

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Precedent-free environment indeed!

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We can blame Mitch for stealing a SCOTUS seat, dropping the filibuster and shoving the 3 Trump appointments onto the court. And for shoving unqualified federal judges onto the courts.

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And yet the MAGA Party booed him mercilessly last night at their Convention. The ingrates! Mitch managed to give them everything their little cold hearts desired, for decades. They turned on Mitch because he isn't "Trumpy" enough anymore.

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No, the federal courts are not "completely compromised." There are plenty of honest judges.

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There are certainly plenty of very good thoughtful smart Federal

Judges. I’d guess more than 90% of them. But, with the appellate division corrupted (see the 5th circuit) and SCOTUS completely corrupted it means the whole system is tainted.

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We the people have a right to know! Time for Cannon to be disbarred! He put her there on purpose with help from Sens. Rubio and Scott knowing he was gonna file a ton of lawsuits against others plus her hubby worked on his 2020 campaign. She’s an absolute disgrace! The 11th district took over 1000 complaints from ordinary people who said they were friends of the court in regards to handling this case. People are really getting tired of TFG skirting justice but I guess justice is hard to obtain when it’s Satan in human form.

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Disbarring would not be the remedy necessarily. Impeachment is the final remedy for federal judges. But, like the federal judge in Alaska last week, I’m sure she would resign before that happened.

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Given her insolence, I'm not certain she WOULD resign. I think SHE thinks she's answering to "a higher calling". 🤮

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Lower calling.......the dark side

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If the 11th district tears her up in their opinion then maybe she will quit on her own. Then maybe a real judge can be put in South Florida.

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Everything Trump touches turns toxic. Cannon is not going to quit just because senior judges disagree with her. She is there to protect Trump and that is her own Golden Rule.

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She’s not going to resign just because she is reversed, again. Maybe if an impeachment trial were going or was looking like it was going to go against her. But that’s not going to happen—conviction takes2/3 of the senators.

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We have to gain at least 10 senators then.

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I doubt she'd resign. The Alaska judge isn't a role model for her. Clarence Thomas is.

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WHY hasn’t the matter of Cannon’s being disbarred been discussed? Who is responsible for taking the”reigns” and getting the ball rolling?

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It's just like impeaching the president. It starts in the House...see the problem?

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Yes and if we get a democrat congress then she will be gone. I can’t see Jamie Raskin letting her get away with breaking the constitution.

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But there's always the iffy situation of conviction in the Senate.

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Need to gain more seats.

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It all comes back to Joe Biden. At the moment we are destined to lose seats, not gain them. But maybe his Lord Almighty will finally pop a word in his ear.

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I asked in a prior substack that Joyce did is how do we get her disbarred but I got no reply.

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Impeachment is what you need to do. But just like impeaching the president it starts in the House...see the problem?

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If, like SCOTUS Justices, one doesn’t need to be a lawyer to be a federal judge, then being disbarred (I.e., taking away the license to practice law) wouldn’t directly address the issue of her sitting on the bench. It would require impeachment by the House and conviction by 2/3 of the Senate. Under the current configuration of Congress, this is an impossibility.

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and I agree- Impeachment of anyone is pretty much an impossibility now.

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I meant, impeachment and removal.

Impeachment is just for the historical record now.

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It wouldn't.

You can be disbarred and still be a judge.

Once you are confirmed to the federal judiciary, it's a life time appointment.

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we need to stop thinking impeachment is a solution.

It's not.

It takes 67 votes in the Senate to remove anyone, so it's impossible now.

we have to think in terms of judicial reform- term limits, ethics, and even more judges.

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well, I think she took the bar examine in Florida, so check their laws.

It is a red state though, so I imagine the republicans control the bar there.

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Why is there not a circle of judges that can examine and take action on a rogue judge/justice???

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Senator Tim Scott declared its was God’s intervention that saved Trump from a bullet. I believe it was the devil saving him.

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I’ve said he’s the devil the entire time the way he skirts justice and uses others.

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EVen if they disbar her, she would still be a judge unless removed.

and it takes 67 votes in the Senate, which isn't going to happen.

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But an Impeachment would allow Americans to see how terrible she truly is.

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How can you be a judge if you are disbarred? I must not understand the legal system.

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You can’t.

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Thank you, Rusty. I feel a little less crazy now…

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Yes, you can.

a federal judge cannot be removed unless impeached.

Federal Judges hold their seats until they resign, die, or are removed from office. Judges cannot be removed from office except by impeachment by the House of Representatives followed by conviction by the Senate. Supreme Court justices serve for life, unless they resign, die or are impeached and removed from office

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Or even the start of an impeachment investigation some would quit.

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I'm not saying don't have impeachments to make the point, I'm just saying it's all but impossible to remove someone.

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63 votes is 2/3rds

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67 votes to remove a public official.

have you forgotten the impeachment hearings already.

https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/impeachment.htm

The Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate to convict, and the penalty for an impeached official upon conviction is removal from office. In some cases, the Senate has also disqualified such officials from holding public offices in the future. There is no appeal.

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Crap.

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2/3 of 100 is....????

66.666%

On multiplying 2/3 by 100 the result or the answer that comes is 66.666%.

They round UP.

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Yeah my brain wasn’t functioning earlier. I’m still livid the doctor sent in bogus codes for my procedure yesterday and it wasn’t approved by insurance so I sit in pain another 3 weeks till he gets it right.

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We cannot forget that the fundamental importance of this case is the compromise of our National Security by the theft of the documents. I mean Our security, each of us as a person. I also mean the word theft.

If you want to hold a misplaced kindness and say Trump in his limited mental capacity and attention span did not understand that and it was not intentional, then you, too, are putting our security at risk. If you want to ignore the open support that Trump gives to Putin and say that Trump was acting only as a rapacious hoarder who thinks anything he sees can be his, then you are willfully ignoring what your own eyes and ears tell you as well as Trump's own line of defense. In either case, willful naïveté and refusing to consider the facts undermines our safety in a volatile world.

I appreciate, more than I can express, the swift decision by Special Counsel to announce an appeal and by the Solicitor General to approve it. The United States Justice system is now able to use his favorite tactic of delaying by appeal right back against him--Trump cannot campaign that "the case is over; I did nothing wrong." Instead, it is moving forward in spite of his corruption, and he is still under indictment while he attempts to profess a love of America. I hope this fact is repeated vigorously and often.

The implications for a presidency in which the president has been convicted of a breach of security are monumental--unfathomable--for Our national security, our military readiness, and our allies.

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Our allies should not trust us one whit.

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We should have learned from WWII that isolationism is not possible in the face of authoritarianism power grabs. Our world is so much more interconnected today than it was then, not just our economies, but our health, and the ability of our planet to support human life.

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The only Americans who remember the lessons of WW2 are those who learned history. Or taught it. Or lived it -- but all those who were at least teeners in the 40s have passed on to their rewards.

Now GOP Isolationists are quoting Trump's great friend in Moscow. They've got Americans attacking our own seats of governance. (Not just the Capitol, but also using state capitals to spawn fake electors.)

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Yes KEM & Norm,

Interconnected is the fear for white-think-they-are-men quivering in their shoes about being ‘interconnected’ with gasp people from other cultures who may have darker skin. This shrinkage is their baggage, their grasp for going back to: Women in kitchens, with babies on the way…. , men with weapons just in case, punitive authority over what gets printed, what gets into a child’s consciousness. You know the rest of the downhill sled ride into the Stone Age. I’m writing post cards today, tomorrow and onward.

One by one going forward as you all obviously do with Joyce Vance at the helm; together we will sail as an interconnected force.

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The call is coming from inside the house.

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Isolationism = leaving long standing allies and joining forces with the dictators. But to get naive voters on board, isolationism sounds stronger, tougher, macho.

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His stated position is that Russia, Hungary, North Korea, China, et al can do whatever they want, and he won't interfere. That's exactly what the US did early in WWII, but The Axis powers realized that whether we were officially at war or not, Lend Lease was supporting Britain and the Allies. So Japan took action. The second reason it won't work is that Putin wants to re-establish the USSR, whose stated goal was world domination. If he were able to conquer European countries with an established military, the US would indeed have no one to help us defend ourselves. As we have seen, if Russia doesn't have an excuse to invade (like the tariffs Trump loves, for example), Putin simply makes one up. So Trump is saying we would remain "neutral," and that is only parroting what Putin is slyly telling him. We need to remember that an ABCM can reach American soil in 20 minutes from Russia, and China has 10+ missiles capable of reaching the US also.

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Jul 16·edited Jul 16

Exactly; as Swedish I wonder what this membership in Nato means, if secrets are sold to the enemy by the former president, who is above the law. It's bad enough Americans on bases in Sweden are not under Swedish law, but only under this rotten American judiciary.

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They are probably under code of military justice which still works .

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I don't think that's true any longer, now that SCOTUS has said tRump is a king who can do anything he wants and it can't be charged. Our "friends" should absolutely not trust the USA given he's likely already sold/selling/trading secrets and Cannon just gave him a green light to do it.

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I agree our friends should not trust us any longer. They should protect themselves which is the only protection North America will have as well.

But I think the CMJ will be the last to fall. Donald cannot use an EO to shut the pentagon or fire all generals. I do, however, wish Mark Milley hadn't retired. And now he will probably need to leave the country. Along with a million others on Donald's hit list. Probably some of us.

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We thought a lot of stuff was working....

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Tack för ett bra fråga!

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Thanks for a good question, translation

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Barry, is this Swedish for duck and cover ?

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If Trump wins the White House our allies have to assume that any intelligence that they share with us is also going to be shared with Putin. Chances are that they're already thinking carefully about what to share with us.

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Trump sold them out in may 2017 and learned then that he was above the law.

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And yet, he we are on the precipice of him being re-elected …

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Wondering what the average IQ in America is........

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Judge Cannon is a disgrace to Judgeships. It is without a doubt the most obvious case of siding with the defense ever witnessed. Can I get an AMEN? Wondering how much gratuity she earned while plodding along & then killing the case altogether? One thing is certain, she'll end up in the history books, IF AND ONLY IF WE STILL HAVE A DEPT. OF EDUCATION after the election. Folks, we are in dire straits here. I know President Biden is old & making some mistakes, but heck, trump makes verbal mistakes and talks a helluva lot more gibberish that Biden does, and we need to point that out to the news media daily. Maybe its because of the constant drug use trump has employed, I don't know, but I'm also willing to just entertain the idea that he is also naturally stupid. I mean, to him, knowing the "best words" that are 4 or 5 letters long is hardly a big accomplishment. I'm exasperated at this point, and throw in JD Vance as his VP....another fondler of underage girls....what a pair. We need Biden to win, and if he has to step down afterwards, say end of his 1st yr in the new term, Kamala Harris can handle it. I'm sticking to this unless the plan changes without my input. I yield back my time.

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The member speaks truths that he has expressed succinctly and with aplomb.

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Amen.

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Amen

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I didn't know about Vance and under-age girls. That is criminal! I am with what you said all the way. Amen to that!

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deletedJul 16
Comment deleted
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Yeah but they're not in charge.

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I think the Circuit court will rule against judge cannon and her delay tactics as Jack Smith was correctly appointed. I am pretty sure the Circuit court heard Thomas put in his “extra” remark and therein is where she got this idea. If it goes to SCOTUS I don’t think we can count on Thomas or Alito, possibly Roberts. I just cannot fathom this executive privilege especially when it relates to what could be top secrets. It’s like opening up a Pandora’s box. Thank you for your excellent explanation. If anything I am starting to learn to have patience.

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There’s six that I don’t believe we can count on. So sad.

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The problem is that Thomas is over the 11th Circuit.

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Oh wow I hadn't thought of that. More delay.

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Yeah, but I think they are generally sane - or at least from what I've seen. I don't know what Thomas being "over them" does, but I don't think it means he can just tell them they are wrong. At least I hope so!

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It seems they don’t care about justice and accountability- what we should actually be achieving

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A legal expert on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour this morning described the Supreme Court immunity ruling using the language of the Dred Scott decision, that no American had any rights that the President was obliged to respect.

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Thanks William. I just subscribed to Nader's podcast... didn't know abt it

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I went back there and found that Bruce Fein was the source to credit for the chilling comparison.

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At this point, maintaining faith in the justice system is a constant battle in light of the success of Trump and his legal team in perverting it. I assume I'm not alone in feeling almost as if I were on life-support, just hanging on by my fingernails given the disheartening news from day to day. The part I just can't make peace with is that there doesn't seem to be any analogous sense of outrage or urgency on the part of the hierarchy of the judicial power structure to salvage the people's fundamental belief that effective mechanisms to enforce accountability actually exist- even as we witness the growing threats to our American republic.

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Where is the mass mobilization to protest these outrages? Asking for a friend.

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founding

Just when you think you've hit bottom.................................You haven't !

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There is no bottom to dishonor, apparently.

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I hate Teflon! thanks Joyce been waiting for your take.

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Public confidence in the courts? That ship set sail on a three hour tour, a three hour tour....

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Sadly well said.

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It’s been a bad, bad day. But when I read “We’re in this together”, I feel a little better

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Except I worry that we are most certainly not seeing what "this" actually is. I feel like the frog does as the water gets a little warm. We're waiting for a good court decision while the other side is implementing Project2025.

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That does help, doesn’t it?!

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Bad Decision is a gross understatement, especially when joined with vp pick. UGH

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Joyce:

Quickly scanned this commentary of yours. Thank you for the answer as I thought Cannon's complaint was strange as I read the same as you discuss. In the end, it is all about delay. Hope Jack finds the right COA to turn this around.

I need to sleep.

Regards,

Bill

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What is COA?

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Susan:

Court of Appeals. Actually, there is no right COA. Wherever Jack is "usually" results in his applying to the COA where Cannon is. What judges assigned (maybe wrong word) to the case is what he gets. Judges have what I would say biases towards certain issues, Not supposed to have them. I would say, it exists.

Either way the COA decides, this will go to SCOTUS and the bias there could decide. Even though there should be no bias. Been there and done it.

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My confidence in the rule of law as it applies to Trump could not go much lower. I have a hunch I’m not the only one who feels this way. I won’t give up hope, although it does feel hopeless.

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You are not alone, Kimberly…

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Her timing was perfect for the psychopath's strategy: shooting, ruling, convention. She'll be placed on SCOTUS in return.

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So Matt Gaetz says.

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All of it orchestrated as a large scheme. If you think the "assassination attempt" couldn't possibly have been planned by his backers, consider the elaborate planning the went into the attempted election theft in 2020. Set the stage for stolen election. Squeal daily about being a martyr and taking a bullet because they're not coming for me, they're coming for you.

Fake electors. Calling governors and secretaries of state.

And finally the jan6 attack on the Capitol after Pence refused to turn the election over to the House alone.

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There was a time -- like last week -- when I would have dismissed this out of hand. How terrifying that I can any longer.

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Me too. I was hanging out watching tv (over 100 out) and was profoundly distressed by what I saw, and the thoughts that wouldn't leave me,

It's small comfort to find it's not just me.

And then yesterday there was the oversized bandage on what was a tiny nick (it had to be tiny, on an ear, and considering the vascularization of the area not much blood....no injury but a movie prop?). For a man as vain as Drumpf it was actually stage makeup.

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Agreed it was a movie prop. The ears don't have much vascularization, especially at the top, but I think you probably know that.

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I was disappointed that Donald didn't have them dab a bit more "blood" on the outside of that enormous gauze bandage he was sporting last night. Seepage, ala Curt Schilling for you baseball fans. There needed to be more drama for his grand entrance! They let me down.

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I feel for you, Lois. It is truly sad.

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Jul 16·edited Jul 16

To go directly from a federal District Court to the Supremes seems far-fetched, but so did Trump's candidacy back in 2016.

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And so did pregnant persons losing their ability to control their bodies as well as no person is above the law.

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Jul 16·edited Jul 16

Seems to me the Biden campaign team could use this rogue judge's actions -- not to mention the Dobbs decision, the outrageous immunity ruling, and the obvious corruption and bias of Thomas and Alito -- for political advantage. Time to take the gloves off, and hit hard on obvious political bias in the judiciary. It's not like the other side plays nice.

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Vote like our lives depend on it. Because they do.

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It's time to actually use the courts' ridiculous decisions to sustain democracy and rule of law in the long run. If we play nice and don't talk about tRump's violent rhetoric and Project 2025's dangerous plans, we will lose and lose big. We have to play by the rules on this particular game in this time, while acknowledging that these rules are not fair or legal or appropriate. When many of us are deported, in colonies or concentration camps, I don't think we will be heartened by knowing we continued to follow rules that had been overturned by the vicious MAGAts.

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