229 Comments
User's avatar
Kathleen M Kendrick's avatar

This is such good news! Can you tell me what address I could use to send her a postcard?

Phil Loubere's avatar

Hon. Colleen Kolar-Kotelly

US District Court

333 Constitution Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20001

Bill Katz's avatar

I am not a postcard or letter writer except a few times but this request will be fulfilled forthwith.

Allison's avatar

I shared in hopes America will send their gratitude for Standing with the Right side of the Law. The written word is powerful. All truth is based on the written word, is it not?

Annie D Stratton's avatar

It sounds lovely and I wish I could agree. But the fact is that the written word does not necessarily represent the truth. It is also used regularly to distort the truth and promote untruths. And, more to the point, much truth is never written down, and becomes lost as a result. Always, always, we must employ our ability to question, to analyze, and to look beyond what is written in order to discern the truth.

Ruth Sheets's avatar

Allison, yes, the written word is powerful and when used to promote the good, it is unbeatable, well, maybe music can be more powerful, again when used for the right purposes!

Bill Katz's avatar

I don’t know anymore.

Pam Hess's avatar

Thank you for the address!

Noorillah's avatar

Many thanks, Phil.

Kitty Rowell's avatar

Thank you Phil. I will mail my postcard today!

Daniel Solomon's avatar

Oy. Please don't. The clerk will place it in the circular file. NO EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS.

If you want to spend some energy, work on Congressional Republicans.

I keep posting. According to Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Trumpepstein may cause an "Epstein bomb" causing over 100 Republican members to "jailbreak" from Trump.

Massive Congressional visits November 18.

https://www.instagram.com/flare.usa/p/DP_mdOyjdiG/ Visit Congressional

Republicans.

https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/851451/

I continue to be exasperated by the parties and lawyers with cases when justices and judges who have dispositive records of bribery and prejudice are not challenged. At SCOTUS, Roberts opened the door in November, 2023. https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/Code-of-Conduct-for-Justices_November_13_2023.pdf

https://blueprint.democrats.org/

Potter's avatar

See my above comment; Boasberg has a website and a contact button. I agree that the postcard sending is of dubious value- more to make you feel better I suspect.

Melanie's avatar

Much appreciated!

Stu Frank's avatar

Excellent Phil, thank you!

Susan Tuzzolino's avatar

Oh! So grateful for the address. I just got a some postcards needing a good home!

Ruth Sheets's avatar

Phil, thanks for the address. I will be sending a card as handwriting things would make them illegible. I, alas rarely write or print, but I do Braille. I will type this one, though!

Bruce Farber's avatar

The "Kollar" part of her name has 2 Ls (Kollar).

Dr. Connie Kellogg's avatar

How do we get addresses to write the judges who seem to be the only ones stopping Trump from his excess authority? And how do we write the Supreme Court to tell them that we are really upset with the advantages they’re giving Trump? Thank you.

Lynell(VA by way of MD&DC)'s avatar

Supreme Court of the United States

1 First Street, NE

Washington, DC 20543

Daniel Solomon's avatar

EXPARTE COMMUNICATIONS are verboten.

Work on Congress.

The parties and lawyers who have cases before the court may be the only avenue to communicate to the court.

As I keep sayin, still waiting for motions to bring the issues of bias and prejudice to the surface. 28 U.S. Code § 455 - Disqualification of justice, judge, or magistrate judge

(a)Any justice, judge, or magistrate judge of the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.

Annie D Stratton's avatar

Agree with Daniel.

The parties and lawyers who have cases before the court may be the only avenue to communicate to the court. Donate to legal organizations undertaking this work.

And work on Congress. Directly: constituent to representative and Senators.

Elaine Vogelstein's avatar

For putting in the judge’s address!

Potter's avatar

I am skeptical about the effect of these postcards if you can find a postcard these days and get it to her and have it read even by an assistant. However go for it. Here is another idea; feedback online to Judge Boasberg's court judges- of which Kolar-Kotelley is a senior judge on his website-contact button below. Here is a link that may work https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/contact

Boasberg's website to explore: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov

Barbara Aran's avatar

Addresses for these wonderful judges?

Phil Johnson's avatar

Judge Colleen: 333 Constitution Ave, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001

I don't know about the other one; I will ask Joyce - but beat me to it, I am composing one for Judge Colleen now.

David J. Sharp's avatar

The lower federal courts have become our first line of defense against a wannabe dictator and a look-the-other-way Congress. Brava.

Cindy Wiggins's avatar

It should not cost citizens one red cent to get a passport or birth certificate to show proof of citizenship. If the government wants to impose proof of citizenship in return for the right to vote, it's up to the government to provide and pay for the cost of ascertaining that proof for its citizens. It's a right of citizenship. I'm a citizen, I get to vote. End of discussion. Period. Fast reaching the end of my tether. Dissent! Defy! Defeat the damn --------!!!

Lois Brooks's avatar

Absolutely. Why aren't more people demanding this?

Margaret's avatar

Yes! Dropped our ballots off yesterday!

Phil Johnson's avatar

Likewise. Although Prop 50 is only a temp fix and a bad harbinger for future political wrangling among the states. Nyah-nyah-nahhhhh.

Celia Carroll's avatar

Another win for female judges!!!

william richter's avatar

It hasn't escaped my attention that women seem to have stepped up to confront this crisis in disproportionate numbers. It's possible that some damned algorithm noticed me reading Joyce, HCR, Solnit, etc. and neglected men to feed me a biased selection. These days you have to wonder. It could also be true, due to outrage at losing basic rights to a perjurious and corrupt Supreme Court and enduring a bragging rapist in the White House, that my impression is true.

Jeff's avatar

I read the three women you mentioned and, if you're looking for a man (to read...), I suggest Jay Kuo.

william richter's avatar

Thanks. I do get and read Kuo's good work, and Robert Hubbell, Robert Reich, read Brian Cohen when I see him, and a few others. We're lucky to have them.

Lynell(VA by way of MD&DC)'s avatar

and robert hubbell, today's edition newsletter

Meredith's avatar

Also Steve Vladek is a great read

Annie D Stratton's avatar

Jay is also a stellar legal mind with excellent analysis of both cases and court decisions. One of my top reads (along with the above named ladies and a few other men- Robert Hubbell is not-to-be-missed.

By the way, there are perks. HCR, whose columns and videos weave history together with current events, often offers photos of the Maine coast (by her hubby and a near-by neighbor) on her rare days off. Jay includes photos of his two delightful wee ones (and a weekly feed of goofy stuff). Robert ends his essays with his own beautiful photos of distant space objects, often taken from his backyard. Joyce shares here elegant chickens and their mammalian friends- and has been known to engage in knit-talk.

This trend seems to be spreading, with pics and drawings and other art, poetry, historical quotes, pics of pets and even the latest thing out of the oven. An inter-community is developing amongst not only substackers, and but in many of the groups doing organizing and outreach. We grow closer as we share ourselves, and our bonds become stronger.

Jan Dorsett's avatar

Robert Hubbell, too.

Crystal Sea's avatar

May I recommend ready "Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson. Disturbing affirmation of human current circumstances in the USA and the world. Ihave not finished it yet. I am hoping she offers a way forward of equality and freedom over fear.

william richter's avatar

I looked up "Caste" and found a pic of the author wearing a simple pearl necklace. I had to smile thinking of the wry awareness she must feel putting that on. "The Warmth of Other Suns" happens to be next to me in a stack with Rebecca Solnit's essays and Kay Ryan's poems and Aldo Buzzi's egg recipes.

A former neighbor in Oakland told me of being a hard working young farmer proud of his strength and efficiency, popping buttons off his shirt as he threw a cultivator plow around to the next row going back and forth across a field behind a mule. Later, he had to figure out how to get on a train in another town unnoticed to escape being cheated of his earnings under Jim Crow, and other dangers and indignities, seeking light and air by going to California, getting work and having his family slip out and join him. He bought a house and raised his kids and grandchildren there. He was scarred by harsh chemicals he used as a janitor.

william richter's avatar

Thank you. For decades now I've remarked to people from India that I too had come here to California from a caste society, one only slightly more rigid than India's: Connecticut. It also had lingering elements of a theocratic patriarchy. With dietary restrictions too, if you count anything hotter than horseradish. I believe both societies have experienced some loosening, and occasional backlash.

william richter's avatar

I'm only joking a little, because the attitudes really tended that way. California has deteriorated from the egalitarian openness I found in 1970. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer (ain't we got fun?) with a severe displacement of established minority communities through economic cleansing.

Leonard Grossman's avatar

👏👏👏

"It may seem like a small thing, but the judiciary deserves our support and our thanks for what they are doing. Let’s be visible and involved. Let’s make sure the courts know we are paying attention."

Annie D Stratton's avatar

As long as we don't harangue them or lobby them. If they make a ruling you are pleased with, please just simply thank them. It's ok to make a comment something like this:

"I have come to realize how important our court system is in the democratic process. Thank you for helping to maintain that laws are applied consistent with the aspirations of our Constitution."

Or something like that. We need to not appear to be influencing how and what they decide. The foundation has to remain in the Constitution and in law as developed to implement the Constitution- not on anything that can be construed as outside pressure.

Phil Johnson's avatar

Whoops. Just when I finished this glowing letter to Judge Kolar-Kotelly. Now I got to go down to the mailbox and extract it. I was wondering why judges don't have email addresses...

Annie D Stratton's avatar

Don't worry about it, Phil. She deserved the glowing accolades, and it's ok. It's when people try to organize a pressure campaign on judges that can create a problem if the opposition decides to use it in some way. That's not going on here. Your note will be seen for what it is- gratitude.

Phil Johnson's avatar

Thank you for that and will put it in the mailbox tomorrow AM.

Louise Yanuck's avatar

At the risk of being repetitive... please share with everyone that there are provisions for 16 and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote. They can't vote until they're 18 but when that day comes it won't matter where the are (college, the military, working overseas, etc,) they are automatically eligible to vote... no, they don't have to go home. Each state has its own rules. Check them out at ballotpedia.org/Youth_pre-registration to see the rules for your state.

SHIRLEY BENNETT's avatar

Also if they will be eligible to vote in the General election, they can vote in the Primary in Washington state!

James Coyle's avatar

“The rule of law still stands.” For now. Thanks to the courage and integrity of these lower court judges. May it ever be so. But we must remain vigilant.

It's Come To This's avatar

They can appeal, but there literally isn't a shred of legal support for their absurd position that 'I can do anything I want to do simply because I say I can.' That's not a phrase that occurs anywhere in our Constitution.

Arabella Dorth's avatar

"'I can do anything I want to do simply because I say I can.’ "That's not a phrase that occurs anywhere in our Constitution."

Love it, but then we’re dealing with an overgrown malevolent, willful, malignant narcissistic 3-year-old.

Vijaya Venkatesan's avatar

But Congress Republicans and the SCOTUS 6 are not and it's their actions which have enabled Trump's depradations.

Annie D Stratton's avatar

Arabella, that is why we have "parents" in the form of courts to take on the role of ensuring that the willful toddler does not throw rocks through the windows. And so far, the lower courts and appeals courts are doing a good job. Best is that their rulings are largely consistent and carefully crafted. These lower courts are making it more difficult for the "Supreme Court" to further twist the law in favor of said toddler and his out-of-control baby-sitters (who are busy raiding the fridge and making out in the den).

Arabella Dorth's avatar

Well said! and we need to be especially vigilant about those “ out-of-control babysitters (who are busy raiding the fridge…)”

Wendy Shelley's avatar

Ohboyohboyohboy! What wonderful news! We needed this one and I’m so glad it came from Civil Discourse; thank you.

DA's avatar

Yes! I especially needed the encouraging news. Thank you, Joyce!

christopher o'loughlin's avatar

Joyce,

Thank goddess for Judge Kollar-Kotelly. Saw you in Atlanta, Tara Theater, you are amazing. We are in this together. Roll Tide. No Kings. Peace.

Christopher and family

Glenda Pennington's avatar

Trump wants to be a dictator. He doesn’t want to do a king’s work. A king protects, empathizes, nurtures, educates, and encourages his subjects. It still astonishes me that there are so many people who have watched Trump’s wickedness and failures over many years and still trust him to be a benevolent king.

Jay Jay Eh's avatar

Those ones don’t actually want him to be benevolent … to ‘others’.

And they’re willing to suffer themselves in order to have that accomplished.

… for now, anyway. Wonder how long it will take before a decent # break & start hollering?

RRiveter's avatar

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone in this country who is not a criminal, a con man, or a dimwit, knows that the States control voting, NOT the jerk in the Oval, and our Founding Fathers made it this way exactly to avoid what is happening now. Obviously, this judge knows that too, as she is following the LAW and the Constitution. I know he'll try to appeal it, but he's on very, very thin ice, as this law is as basic as the First Amendment. He is absolutely a lawless individual who needs to be in jail, not tomorrow, not next week, but tonight.

Annie D Stratton's avatar

In the meantime, keep eyes and ears open. If we are being distracted by something this simple, T&Co's past actions suggest they are up to something we don't know about yet. The encouraging part of this is we know the pattern, and so far, because of very alert and astute lawyers working for us through non-profits and a lot of state and local gov legal offices, we've headed them off. Remember to pay kudos to those lawyers every time they pull another legal coup by presenting well written arguments that the judges can use to write the judgements that are pushing back and preserving our democratic processes. Donate to the non-profits when you can.

Michelle Brewer's avatar

I agree, "If we are being distracted by something this simple, T&Co's past actions suggest they are up to something we don't know about yet." .. My "spidery intuition" has been crawling around my head for months now, telling me something is 'up' in their plans we do not have a whiff of yet. Totally agree.

DA's avatar

He was not even qualified to run for president because of his conviction of felonies. No ,he thinks laws are for other people.

Suzanne Tollefson's avatar

Each time I read about a federal court upholding the rule of law against this administration, I shrug my shoulders because I know that SCOTUS will have the last say. What used to be a reliable wall against presidential overreach has been undermined by compromised judges, disregard for precedent and an unwarranted resort to the shadow docket. Much as I would like to cheer, this administration will ignore the court rulings it doesn’t like and accuse the jurists of being leftist lunatics or ANTIFA supporters. Please prove me wrong.

Marilyn Joyce's avatar

Suzanne, please put you gloves back on!

Yes, it is beyond discouraging regarding the SC. But we must not give in as that is what they want.

Denise de la Vaux's avatar

It is truly magnificent to see the majority of the lower courts still holding the line, but indeed, with an issue this important, I can see Dear Leader running to his six favorite ChristoFascist buddies and getting his way with them. They want this nightmare as much as he does.

Judy CZUBATI's avatar

They have become obsolete and damaged. Time to disband it all.

Noorillah's avatar

You may be right and you may be wrong. We don't know yet, and our capacity to hold an opening for justice to prevail, even after many disheartening disappointments, is essential. This is a strong ruling. Give it a chance.

Annie D Stratton's avatar

I think the consistency of the rulings in lower courts- across the board, with judges of all kinds of backgrounds- will make it more difficult for the Supreme Court to twist the law- they already appear to be moving away from the most extreme of past rulings. By continuing to support and cheer for the people who are BRINGING these cases before the courts with the well-written (and often brilliant) arguments they present, we encourage the judges themselves to stand ground in their rulings. But by shrugging our shoulders, we are indicating that we think that the work these people are courageously doing is not worth our attention. You might as well be maga.

Linda Weide's avatar

I would think the problem would be especially acute for people who get $165 in food stamps from SNAP and are now in danger of not getting them, and paying for a passport for the entire family. That is going to be an expense they cannot afford. My daughter is of the opinion that if any ID is required to vote, it should be provided free of charge.

debbie's avatar

I agree with your daughter. Otherwise, it would be just as Joyce has said, a poll tax.

mer t's avatar

Thank you, Joyce!