As if it were a serious legal document
Lawyers are laughing at Trump’s filing.
It might be tempting to scrutinize the filing as if it were a serious legal document, submitted in a credible way. That would be a mistake. Orin Kerr, a conservative law professor at UC Berkeley, noted overnight that many actual lawyers “are giggling at Trump’s motion, and how poorly it was done.”
Go on, just say it. Badly. The word is “badly.” There’s no need to soften it with “poorly.” Trump isn’t poor, he’s bad.
Among the many problems is the fact that it’s oddly late. The FBI executed its search warrant on Monday, Aug. 8. At that point, federal law enforcement officials reclaimed classified materials the former president brought to his glorified country club, taking stock of what he improperly took. Two weeks later, Trump’s lawyers went to court, apparently in the hopes that the FBI would stop reviewing the documents.
The FBI, with once voice: “Oops! Sorry! Our bad!”
The idea that the FBI’s search was “shockingly aggressive” is even more difficult to take seriously. The Justice Department tried a series of lesser means, including subpoenas and in-person meetings in the hope of avoiding this step. When Team Trump refused to cooperate, the FBI went to court, obtained a search warrant, and executed it in the least aggressive way possible: The bureau sent plain-clothed agents who coordinated in advance with the Secret Service.
I’m guessing that “shockingly aggressive” is trumpese for lèse-majesté. One doesn’t rifle the cupboards of the god-emperor.
The former president keeps calling it an illegal “break-in” and “raid,” hoping that the public will imagine swarms of agents in tactical gear, pointing assault weapons at scared Mar-a-Lago customers. That’s plainly absurd.
To adults it is. Trump aims everything toward people as childish in their thinking as he is. It turns out there are a hell of a lot of them.
Perhaps most entertaining was an accompanying written statement from Trump, which read in part, “This Mar-a-Lago Break-In, Search, and Seizure was illegal and unconstitutional, and we are taking all actions necessary to get the documents back, which we would have given to them without the necessity of the despicable raid of my home, so that I can give them to the National Archives until they are required for the future Donald J. Trump Presidential Library and Museum.”
Would have given to them when? He’s only had a year and a half already. Also they’re not his to “give” to the National Archives, much less to grab back for his “library.”
That said, misguided court filings sometimes work, and in this instance, the case was assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon — a Trump-appointed Federalist Society member, who was confirmed after Trump’s 2020 defeat, and who has a reputation as a far-right jurist.
Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum.
Did he forget to preface it with “By copy of this Truth?”
I dunno; dudes in body armour, some flash-bangs. Given the sheer volume of illegally removed classified and top secret documents, he should be considered a suspected enemy agent at this point. Do they get kid glove treatment? Woulda made for some good TV.
What I’m really waiting for is his perp walk. And the modelling of his orange jumpsuit. (Though given his normal orange skin tone, they might want to consider something with a stronger contrast, like a nice, bright purple. There’s always the old-fashion Hollywood black and white prison get-up, complete with tin cup. Trump would really know he’s the baddie if he’s dressed in that.)
Judge Cannon just issued an order that is the judicial equivalent of asking “WTF are you trying to do, and why is this my problem?”
Hahaha oh good.
I can imagine Trump’s anger at this. She’s supposed to be “his” judge, bought and paid for. You think she’d show some loyalty. How long before Trump says how she was never a very good judge, that she’s a loser, and he has been treated unfairly? And, since she’s a woman, he’ll add some crack about her looks.
Presidents have frequently found the judges they appoint don’t do everything they want them to. Imagine that. A high level official with years of school, a title, and power…and in some cases, a lifetime appointment…acts like someone independent and with a brain…and perhaps at least a bit of integrity. Imagine that.