Kings and dictators have immunity. Presidents of “democracies” DO NOT.
Are YOU an “original intent” adherent? Consider the following.
– South Carolina Senator Charles Pinckney, a 1787 Constitutional Convention delegate, speaking on the Senate floor, said he and his colleagues did NOT intend the president to have ANY privileges or immunities; that ratification of the Constitution rested on the “express” promise “the new president would be subject to criminal punishment.
– In an essay promoting ratification, House member Tench Coxe wrote the president, “may be proceeded against like any other man in the ordinary course of the law.”
– Future Supreme Court justice James Iredell told the North Carolina ratifying convention if the president “commits any misdemeanor in office, he is impeachable, removable from office, and incapacitated to hold any office of honor, trust or profit.” If he commits any crime, “he is punishable by the laws of his country, and in capital cases may be deprived of his life.” [Note: comments and quotes by Pinckney, Coxe, Iredell from Jamelle Bouie’s “This Whole King Trump Thing Is Getting Awfully Literal”; New York Times; 4/28/24]
Consider also these thoughts and facts:
1]. corruption was the Founders’ NUMBER ONE concern. The word “corruption” was written in Madison’s incomplete convention notes 54 times – in a roughly 110 day convention, lat May – mid September, 1787.
2]. was “immunity” EVER discussed, and in what context, in the 1787-91 period; Philadelphia or state conventions?
3] ” ” ” ” in the impeachment process against President Andrew Johnson?
4]. ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” Richard Nixon?
5]. the word “immunity” is NOT in the Constitution – it fails the Alito “test”!!!!!!!
6] kings have immunity, presidents do not; a major part of 1775-83 Revolutionary War era was the arbitrary, corrupt conduct of George III – WHY would America go BACKWARDS to a “king”?????
7]. Gorsuch: “We are writing a rule for the ages.”?!?!?!? – NO they can’t. Amending the Constitution is a process which does NOT involve ANY “supreme court,” let alone this one.
8] a “supreme court” can “interpret” the Constitution – so if “immunity” of a president [or anybody] is NOT in the document, nor is there any hint of it – what about “immunity” is there to “interpret”????? [ they doNOT have the legal power to MAKE UP “a rule for the ages” foe something that DOES NOT EXIST]
9]. the Constitution was written by 55 men, signed by 39, from ALL 13 states, why don’t we have a public forum on the question if ANY president should have a power NOT in the Constitution – why should 6 people have a RIGHT’ to do this?
10]. Trump’s “immunity” argument has been REJECTED by every judge who heard it – what do these 6 “justices” “know” that MULTIPLE courts did not. ***** Research the court statements against Trump!!! – some are decisively in disbelief that such fantasy should even be considered in a “court of law” versus by drunks in a bar.
11]. the case itself is an unnecessary review of a UNANIMOUS 3-judge D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals panel – which forcefully said Trump could be prosecuted – research their words!!!
12]. “justice” Barrett got Trump lawyer Sauer to admit many of Trump’s alleged acts amount to private conduct that would NOT be shielded from prosecution
13]. WHY is this “supreme court” parsing differences between “private and “public” conduct for a president, unnecessarily splitting hairs; how does one decide the difference on ANYTHING that has to do with a presidency charged with 24/7 running a country, a “democracy,” when virtually EVERY word from ANY president is/can be consequential???
14]. when is an American president “off duty”???
15] how can Alito say “I’m not discussing the particular facts of this case.”??? – what do “supreme courts” do, any of them – if they don’t discuss the “particular facts”??? – isn’t that their JOB? Is “justice’ Alito signaling that this “supreme court” is going to. – AGAIN – make something up??? – create some fantasy theoretical scenario – that THIS “supreme court” is now called to “solve” – with “a rule for the ages”???????????????
16]. there is a long lst of Trump actions, publicly recorded, that refute ANY idea he did not try to abuse the powers of the presidency to stay in power – does America ignore this??? – are we now going to have some “rule for the ages” that [for some people] plains all this illegal behavior away??????
17]. how can a “democracy” accept Sauer’s contention a president is free during their presidency to commit lawless acts; subject to prosecution only AFTER impeachment convicts? Didn’t we have a resident who resigned in 1974. who claimed once that if the president does something it isn’t/can’t be wrong? After 50 years, we’re going to debate this again. – ignoring what the men who wrote the Constitution said and intended???
18]. if “no man is above the law” – how can there be a SERIOUS discussion of presidential “immunity”??????
19]. if ANY American has ANY kind of “immunity” – what’s the difference between that and a dictatorship???
20] given the 2005-2024 Roberts “court” track record illustrating their PROFOUND ignorance of American history and legal history/precedent – why trust them to “write a rule for the ages”???
Consider also “
– – is there ANYTHING which displays more hatred and contempt for American democracy than a “supreme court” decision, that in ANY way, grants Trump ANY kind of “immunity,” or some stealth ‘rule” that does it without saying it – a favorite Roberts “court” trick
— should ANY American president have “immunity” for ANY act he/she commits in office that in ANY way subverts his/her office, American democracy, the Constitution, 235 years of historical and legal presidential conduct???
— should ANY mayor, governor, president have “immunity” from criminal prosecution???
– – If Trump is granted, INCREDIBLY, ANY “immunity” – is it over? Is America finished as a “democracy”?
Then this:
— is the “supreme court’s” complicity in subverting accountability and justice obvious enough??? Did 6 Republican “justices” take the case to aid Trump {without admitting it]? If, by their actions, Trump does not go to trials before the 2024 election, no matter what decision the “court” issues, is this a “win” for Trump? [he’s not found guilty]
— is the “supreme court” thereby complicit in. a coup if Trump is elected? If American democracy begins to end with a second Trump presidency, which becomes the autocracy he’s promising publicly, openly – how much credit does the “court” receive” in this coup?
— there have been many accusations of the current “court” violating Article III, Section I: Supreme Court justices “hold their offices during good Behavior..”. Is their action in taking the Trump “immunity” case – which has been condemned as totally inappropriate and “Jaw Dropping” – proof the 6 Republicans are, as some have said “corrupt” or “intellectually corrupt”?
– – is taking the Trump “immunity” case – and doing anything but dismissing it, 9-0, as an outrageous joke – that final proof the 6 Republicans are indeed “partisan political hacks” – which one of them said they weren’t?
– – if there is any doubt of “partisan hackery”, is the proof in the Roberts “court” track record, which includes Heller, Citizens United, Shelby County, Janus, giving certain religious preferred status, denying ordinary citizens access court access, forcing people into compulsory arbitration, undermining environmental protections, attacking people’s reproductive rights, forced taxpayer contributions to a church they don’t attend, making up “legal” doctrines and “tests”, etc., etc., etc. – many in opposition to long-accepted legal principles?
— does this mean that, unlike the former Supreme Courts that ruled against presidents in the 1952 steel nationalization case [during a war]; unlike the Pentagon Papers ruling [during a war]; unlike the Nixon tapes issue [during an impeachment inquiry]. – with an “immunized’ presidency, this would no longer occur???
“At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us,
it must spring up amongst us…If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and
finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”
[ Abraham Lincoln ]
With Justice For All 