As I posted previously, Trump already controls the Legislative branch. Now, in a show of contempt for the Constitution’s separation of powers mandate and the independence of the Judiciary, a foundation controlled by Trump filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Supreme Court against Chief Justice John Roberts claiming that Trump has the authority to regulate the two agencies within the Judiciary — the Judicial Conference and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts – that, respectively, provide oversight and “legislative, legal, financial, technology, management, administrative, and program support services” to the federal courts.
For nine decades, the federal courts have been regulated by these agencies. They were established by Congress to place under the Judiciary’s control administrative authority that was previously within the Justice Department.
The foundation argued in its complaint that both these agencies exercise regulatory power and not judicial power, and therefore must be overseen by the president.
If the lawsuit is successful, it would transfer the regulation of the federal courts away from their support providers and Chief Justice Roberts into Trump’s hands. Trump could then stack the Judicial Conference with loyalists who could investigate federal judges who rule against him and rewrite the courts’ procedural rules to accommodate him.
Although the lawsuit is bound to fail, it exposes Trump’s plot to control all three branches of government.
The case asks the question, “How much more can we tolerate?” We’ve watched as Donald Trump:
- made inflation a near-certainty and a possible depression to follow
- gift-wrapped Ukraine for Putin and encouraged him to invade Europe,
- gutted our military superiority to accommodate Putin ,
- froze financial aid for education, healthcare and anti-poverty programs,
- demonstrated embarrassing ignorance about trade deficits,
- appointed the most unqualified dangerous cabinet ever,
- lies to us about everything (e.g. that he’s in trade talks with China and has made 200 trade deals), and
- trashes the world’s trust and respect in America, and, yes, in its electorate.
On April 7, the Supreme Court held that individuals “subject to removal are entitled to judicial review, and … the Fifth Amendment entitles aliens to due process of law …. and to notice and opportunity to be heard.”
Yet, on and around April 21, Trump, showing contempt for the Supreme Court,
- sent his ICE Department to deport three U.S. citizens aged 2, 4, and 7, including one with Stage 4 cancer, to Honduras along with their mothers.
- deported women and their children without due process.
- Deported the cancer patient without medication or consultation with doctors.
Trump is legalizing bribes and corruption by eliminating multiple anti-corruption guardrails to create the perfect environment for graft, self-dealing and lucrative influence-peddling. He’s fired those responsible for policing corruption in the White House. Whistle-blowers from the White House and Department of Justice quit their jobs due to corruption including possible insider trading in the White House timed with announcing the imposition and pausing of tariffs.
For two centuries, the world has loved, hated, relied on, envied and respected the United States. The impacts on America’s reputation from Trump’s lack of stability and trustworthiness were immediate. Now, just six months after he was elected, the number of countries believing the United States will have a positive influence on world affairs has fallen in 26 out of 29 countries. For the first time China is more trusted to play a positive role than America. As commented on CNN: “The U.S. right now is an incredibly unreliable partner to anyone in the world …” How will we fare when we need them?
We wonder if Trump’s MAGA base recalls that he repeatedly and unabashedly promised to restore respect for America around the world. Sadly, it’s unlikely they’ll even notice what he’s wrought.
