Raskin: ‘You just have to know how to read’ to know Trump is blowing past the U.S. Constitution
By: Jen Psaki
The prelude (prior to Raskin joining) is a fine perspective setting argument.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Transcript:
Okay, so right now, just to sum it up—
I know you all have been paying very close attention. But Donald Trump is ignoring court orders.
He's attacking every aspect of the legal system, including law firms, and he's standing by. His threats against judges continue to rise.
And I just want to start by stating perhaps what sounds extremely obvious here:
This is not normal.
And I mean by historical standards, too. I mean, ignoring a judge's order is not at all normal.
Insulting and attacking a judge on social media or whatever form of communications there may have been at most points in history is not normal.
And calling for a judge's impeachment simply because you didn't like their ruling is definitely not normal.
I mean, look—lots of presidents have been mad at lots of judges in the past, throughout history.
Throughout history, presidents of both parties have had courts rule against them. But none of them acted like Donald Trump.
Let's go back to 1952. President Truman seized control of steel mills to make sure there was continued production during the Korean War.
The Supreme Court said he acted unconstitutionally, which would make any president mad, right? Even irate.
But did Truman ignore them? Did he call for the justices to be impeached? Of course not. He immediately ordered the return of the steel mills to their owners—even though their workers immediately went on strike.
That takes us to 1974. The Supreme Court dealt a huge blow, of course, to President Nixon, ordering him to hand over the Watergate tapes.
And Nixon complied, even though it was the nail in the coffin for his entire presidency.
And I'm not excusing anything he did here—obviously. I'm making a different point. But he didn’t call for the justices to step down.
He actually stepped down himself. He didn’t really have a choice, resigning from office only two weeks later.
Then there was the time in 2006, the Supreme Court ruled that President George W. Bush overstepped his authority in ordering war crime trials for detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Yes, true. But listen to how Bush responded to that ruling—at a press conference that very same day:
"I haven’t had a chance to fully review the findings of the Supreme Court.
I want to assure you that we take them very seriously.
I will protect the people and at the same time conform with the findings of the Supreme Court."
Look, I’m not excusing anything that led to that ruling. But the point here is, he said, "I will conform with the findings of the Court." I haven’t heard a whole lot of that lately, have we?
In 2016, the Supreme Court blocked President Obama’s immigration plan that would have shielded as many as five million parents from being deported, and it would have also helped them find legal work in the United States.
He was frustrated and he was upset—believe me—but he abided by the ruling.
Then there was the time in 2022 when the Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration from enforcing its vaccine or testing requirements for large private companies.
This was kind of at the height of COVID. Of course, Biden didn’t agree with it—believe me, he didn’t agree with it. But here’s what he said in response:
"The Court has ruled that my administration cannot use the authority granted to it by Congress to require this measure.
But that does not stop me from using my voice as President."
Look, the point here is this: there have been moments in just about every presidency—Republican presidents, Democratic presidents—
when a court ruled against the guy sitting in the Oval Office.
None of these presidents liked the outcome, but they abided by the Court’s decision.
And right now, Donald Trump is doing the opposite.
By any standard, it certainly appears that he and his administration deliberately violated a court order when they flew hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador to be imprisoned without any due process.
That’s what differentiates us as a country, by the way.
And now they’re stonewalling the judge who’s trying to find out if his order was willfully ignored.
On Thursday, the judge accused the government of, quote, "evading its obligations," saying their response had been "woefully insufficient."
And during a hearing on Friday, he put it like this:
"The government is not being terribly cooperative at this point."
No kidding.
And he also vowed to get to the bottom of whether they violated his order and who was responsible.
This isn’t just a squabble with the judge. The Trump administration is claiming—out loud, by the way—that they’re willing to defy a co-equal branch of government:
"We're not stopping. I don’t care what the judges think.
I don’t care what the left thinks. We’re coming.
This judge has no right to ask those questions.
You have one unelected federal judge trying to control foreign policies,
trying to control the Alien Enemies Act, which they have no business presiding over.
The judge had no business, no power to do what he did.
This judge had no right to do that."
Of course, the judge had every right to ask any questions he wanted.
By the way—that’s how the system works.
This is the sound that we just heard of one branch of government basically giving the middle finger to another branch of government. That’s what we’re hearing.
Trump and his administration are trying to overtake the courts.
They’re trying to become the arbiters of the law so they don’t have to abide by it.
They’re trying to upend the separation of powers that have been separate for hundreds of years—for a reason.
And this isn’t one of those times when bucking tradition and breaking norms is a good thing.
Sometimes it is.
This is actually dangerous.
Threats against judges are on the rise in the form of—this is how it was described in The New York Times—
bomb threats, anonymous calls to dispatch police SWAT teams to home addresses, even the delivery of pizzas.
Which is a seemingly innocuous prank, but one that carries a pretty clear message:
They know where you and your family members live.
And the administration has now turned to targeting tourists and legal immigrants who have expressed views that the government believes to threaten national security and undermine foreign policy.
That’s their argument.
That’s the kind of thing that will keep happening as Trump tries to wipe a branch of government that is the last line of defense.
So we can see there’s a problem here—to state the obvious.
And we’re faced with some tough questions. I mean, what is the solution? And what is our system able to do?
And again, those are tricky questions to answer—because history, as I’ve noted here, doesn’t exactly serve as a guide.
Joining me now is Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland.
He’s the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.
He is the perfect person to talk to about historical precedent, the moment we’re in—all of the things.
So let me just start with kind of where I ended there.
I mean, you said there’s an attack on the Constitution that feels very clear here.
I think a question a lot of people have is:
What can be done to stop it?
We’ve got 125 cases that have been filed across the country, and 50 federal courts have already entered temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions against Trump.
So let’s start with the positive news: the courts are working. They’re doing their job.
That’s why they’re talking about impeaching all these federal judges.
That’s why they’re attacking Judge Boasberg for insisting on answers—because you can’t disobey an order of a federal court.
As Chief Justice Roberts emphasized this week:
"The proper response to disagreement with the substance of a judicial opinion is to appeal the opinion—
not to try to impeach the judge.
Certainly not for people to go out and visit threats upon the judge and the judge’s family."
And so, we’ve got to play these cases out in court.
The Trump administration has just thrown caution to the winds.
I mean, the great example of this, of course, is the birthright citizenship executive order.
The first sentence of the 14th Amendment says:
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
It is just as plain as day.
And we have Obama judges, Biden judges, Reagan judges, Trump judges all striking down what Trump did.
In fact, the Reagan judge said it was the easiest case he’d ever decided in his life.
You don’t have to be a lawyer to know what’s wrong with it. You just have to know how to read.
And in case after case, they say:
"You have just totally blown past the Constitution."
So we’ve got to stand up for the independence of the judiciary.
And we see this happening all over the world—
that when courts block an autocratic executive or someone with dictatorial ambitions,
they begin to attack the judges. They attack the lawyers. They attack the law firms.
That’s what’s happening in America right now.
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Trump is trying to operate as an Emperor and right now the Judicial Branch is the only check on his rogue behavior. Congress (due to the majority held by Trump sycophants and spineless members) has abdicated its constitutional responsibility and is allowing Trump to do whatever he wishes.
trumpski has reinforced the term bully pulpit. he's applying his mob boss template, again, to this term by instigating his mentally defective and willing sycophants to carry out his suggestions and impose his will upon all americans, while attempting to keep his hands clean. he is drawing red lines and making points of no return in this alleged gray area of our constitutional based representative democracy. he is wanting and working towards creating a violent confrontation that will give him even more power.
And what evidence do you have of that anyone would believe?
when does/has evidence ever mattered to the maga cult?
Notice that Raskin only has Supreme Court decisions that don't involve this President. This President is facing lawfare from district judges that really don't have authority over national policies. As early as today House Republicans are expected to introduce a bill limiting that power.
House Republicans eye hearings on Judge Boasberg, bill to rein in federal judges - ABC News
a POTUS that can't operate within the law ...
Bullshit. The PotUS is bound by the law. GOP members used to be champions for the rule of law until Trump.
Accordingly, federal judges do indeed have authority over illegal actions by a PotUS; they can issue a court order (for example) to stop the execution of an illegal EO.
maga doesn't believe in the separation of power or due process ...
Trump supporters generally seem to accept anything Trump does as 'good'.
as we are able to witness here every day ...
It's true. They have sworn 'blood oaths' to MAGA; they are 'one' and when one breaks ranks- he/she is disavowed. All for one and One for All! That is the game which is afoot!
... let their pied piper lead them over the cliff. zero loss to america ...
Unfortunately, Trump affects everyone.
not for long ...
Looks like almost 4 years to me.
I'm going with the odds based upon statistical data and probability. he's toeing the psychotic line right now ...
and the observations of a retired cardiologist I know ...
And that has been written about for a very VERY long time, as far back as the mid-15th century.
''The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.'' (Shakespeare's Henry VI Part 2)
Personally, I lost my respect for a court that ruled against the adage that ''No man is above the law.'' What the SCotUS did was declare as law what George Orwell wrote in his novel Animal Farm: '‘...all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others’.
Perhaps if more people had a knowledge of great literature, they would not be so naive.
And yet 'our' intelligentsia is sitting around 'jawboning' while Trump is bending all the systems to his will. Clearly the intent (which is becoming more obvious everyday) is this: The federal system will operate under presidential authority (Trump) and when he gets SCOTUS to valid him in the opinions of the court, he will 'complete' breaking the federal system with its program. So what the 'end-game'?
Consider this: Trump is ending FEMA . . . thus, when any natural disaster of scale and magnitude suitable for a national response happens (and it will) guess whom each state 'hat in hand' will have to approach federally - not for an agency emergency declaration with its rules and regulations, it will be Trump as head of the federal system! He and his MAGA lieutenants will then seek to 'negotiate' with the states the terms of their SURRENDER to guess WHO. Yes, him.
Now, extrapolate the plan across the whole of the federal system. . . .
He intends to 'tame' the courts through taming its conservative SCOTUS.
People we are under 'full political seizure. And yet people are sitting around twiddling their thumbs and wagging their tongues.
Can you be more specific? What actions taken by Trump have you so upset?
Has Trump been shown to have violated any laws while all these frivolous lawsuits are being brought before sympathetic leftist judges and are working through the appeals process?
Should a ruling by just 1 (one) activist district judge determine immigration policy for the US, or the actions taken by the military?
Don't you think that some of these judges are overstepping their powers and coming close to violating the separation of powers?
Another comment that offers no facts, just personal wishes.
Who said the judge is activist? Do you recognize any wrongdoing by Trump ... ever??
Show us where you think a judge is overstepping their bounds.
I see you can't or won't answer clear and concise questions about your opinions
Watch the video or read the transcript. The answer is in the seed, that is why I seeded this video.
oh, the irony ...
apparently you have already forgotten that trumpski is a convicted felon ...
Everyone knows how bogus that whole shitshow was. Keep trying.
... a shitshow like every lawsuit against him and his administration is now, right?
Everyone knows that whenever Trump says "Everyone knows" it's a LIE.
Everyone knows that Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts, by an American jury, a jury of his peers, beyond a reasonable doubt.
I'm thinking that if these cases are being appealed by the Administration, it's because the initial findings are that the Administration has overreached and is violating the Constitution, you know all that silliness about checks and balances and separation of powers that Messrs. Trump and Musk don't seem to care at all about.
All of those poor people fired, now not fired but nor working because their offices are locked, closed or gone.
This Administration is trying real hard to redefine FUBAR and CLUSTERFUCK.
trump will undoubtedly blow thru another 7 trillion this term rebuilding, by court order, what he and his little doge tore apart ...
One wonders how they will account for the $500 Billion the IRS says will go uncollected because they just laid off over 6,000 IRS workers and agents.
... uh, yeah. I'm pretty sure that was a major selling point to the parties interested in giving them the axe ...
Trump is attempting to get our government to think solely in ideological terms. That is, our system is something of a construct: constitutional, but not ideological. For example: Capitalism - but not the raw version.
Checks and balances (3 tier system). Hybrid rules, not any pure set of rules. Representative democracy.
Trump is attempting to break our DIVERSE system. Doing so by labeling politics that is not PURE and exclusive as fallible.
Trump (MAGA) intends through unitary president authority to establish a one-party super-majority which sets as its goal to so fracture any opposing party or parties in such a manner that it can not come together to contest the 'ONE.'
Watch and see.
The time to hold courts 'feet' to the fire is now. For the sake of this democracy.
(MAGA is playing along game. . . we are being distracted by "shiny objects dangling daily" - and the 'forest is constructing itself right before our eyes.)
The plan is not to account for it. After all, the plan is to keep MAGA in charge of governance, because 70-ish MAGAs will CHEER the near tear-down of the progressive tax system. Of course, history tells us what the United States was before the progressive tax. . . remember Robber barons?
Oh. if a professional election denier who’s spent years trying to delegitimize the Supreme Court says if, it must be true. Seriously is this supposed to convince anyone who isn’t a card carrying member of blueanon?
Oh if a member of a social media forum says 'nuh-uh' then it must be true.
Offer some real facts.
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Every single person reading this knows that is not true...
So, why in hell come onto TiG's seed merely to insult him?
Psaki?...
You were not talking about Psaki in your comment above...
Ahhh, is this like the jedi mind trick? "These aren't the droids you're looking for"...
My only comment above is totally about Psaki. Cmon catchup.
An offhanded dismissal of the author, their subject, the topic and the seeder as unworthy of even your consideration because they are politically to the left of hard core MAGA is hardly participation!
Psaki is not the topic. The topic is Trump's continued push past the bounds of his authority and his historically unique attempt to defy the check of the Judicial branch.
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Just imagine, prior to Trump, any PotUS engaging in this kind of extortion:
No PotUS prior to Trump has engaged in such an abuse of power targeting specific firms.
Seems to me that it is Obstruction of Justice taken to the Nth degree.
There must be a judge who hasn't been TrumpiLied with security clearance to look at the supposed evidence of wrongdoing ..... ROFLMAO! Of course. What was I thinking. We all know that the Administration's protestations are made of unicorn farts laced with faery dust. Just like his evidence of the rigged elections, etc..
When will the American people wake up to what is happening?
unfortunately, it won't be until maga realizes that there is a fate worse than being a trump sycophant ...
Dear Lord!
How can these super-smart, ultra-informed people be shocked, as they clearly are??
Trump told us what he would do. We elected him. He's doing what he said.
Duh!
He is going well beyond what he said. For example, he never mentioned that he would try to break laws, rename the Gulf of Mexico, cancel the security clearances and detail for political opponents, nominate supremely incompetent fools like Hegseth, etc.
He did say he would lower prices (biggest campaign promise), end taxes on tips and overtime, end the Ukraine war with a phone call, etc. Is anyone surprised that he did not accomplish this?
if it doesn't affect him personally, it won't be happening ...
When has that ever stopped him before?
Even the most isolated person has had more than ten years to glance at the behavior of Trump and see that he was set on this course long ago. News Flash! He tried to take over the country, BY LAWFARE, unconstitutionally, unethically, and to the detriment of his Oath of Office.
I agree with Bob: I think that we are out of our minds if we think that the Judicial branch will stop him. That message last week from Roberts to Trump was code. It should have read, "I will take care of it."
You may be correct, but I believe there is a chance that the SCotUS (especially Roberts) has realized that he has enabled a monster.
I think the stark realization of how his SCOTUS legacy will read in american history has finally dawned on him.
And the price of gas at the Murphy Oil went from $2.59 yesterday to $2.69 this morning
the bottom line is, we're all being prepped for one hilarious state funeral ...
He who controls the past controls the present and future, to paraphrase someone who is more popular now than he should be.
it's now a race to see if he can destroy american before his expiration date ...
Oftentimes he did say he did say he was in search of his "Roy Cohn." See: Bondie. He did say he (restated it and lied): "I will be your retribution." Did ask SCOTUS to free him from criminal prosecution FOR THE TEAR-DOWN OF OFFICES and soon the buildings themselves. He did 'curse' everybody who did not 'bless' him personally.
The 'American people' were just asleep at the vote! And so here we are . . . reaping the whirlwind from the one man in the country who has changed NOTHING about himself for all the time he has been in the foremost of the public sphere.
True. Chief Justice Roberts is a natural conservative in his heart. I have researched the man's pedigree. The only thing which can stop him from wishing to wish the executive 'fair and even sailing' is. . . a professional survival instinct which will him to protect his 'HOUSE' (the courts) from invasion and political takeover. As judges and justices can not operate critically in a political CESSPOOL.
NOT IN MY NAME!
On the question of the history of federal courts making nationwide injunctions
Raskin just proved beyond a shadow of a doubt he can't read then.
Democrats always reinterpreting laws and abusing the power of the court system.
... thanks for opening the door to deporting unamerican criminal scum without due process to serve time in foreign prisons. it should come in real handy in about 4 years, maga ...