Some folks (including the QAnon Shaman) are seeking to renounce the guilty pleas they were convicted under.
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This article is Connecticut-focused, but apparently this is a thing in several states:
I suspect that these efforts will fail, either due to a Trump not having been convicted (yet?), or due to January 6…or at least his contributions thereto…not being “insurrectiony” enough.
There’s already a lawsuit in Colorado.
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If enough states keep him off the primary ballot then maybe we can get someone less awful as the GOP candidate. That would be good.
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I’m assuming all those cases would go to the Supreme Court and they would allow him to stay in the running. I feel like several of them would love to further neuter the 14th amendment.
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While a trial for actual insurrection is pending? That seems like a bridge too far. I kinda doubt most of the SCOTUS are really Trumpkins… even the ones he appointed.
That said, stranger things have happened.
No it wouldn’t. The GOP’s behavior since Obama indicates a deep anti-democracy authoritarianism ideology. The corruption is way beyond a few crazy MAGA types and a Nazi or three. The ease and comfort the “good” 80% of the GOP went along with the 20% bad GOP indicates a failure to actually defend the constitution and do their jobs as elected officials. A more palatable to the voter GOP candidate than Trump is a recipe for authoritarianism entrenched quietly and effectively rather than the lazy loud pathetic attempt Trump supports.
You want a conservative political party? The GOP is not that party.
- The GOP small government means all powerful government in the fewest hands possible with the least checks and balances possible.
- GOP government financial responsibility – none.
- Socially conservative? What is your moral ideology? List the 5 most important conversative moral principles. Does the GOP actually embody those principles? Do they actually support your moral agenda? Do they actually follow what you believe, or do they simply use your morals against you?
The GOP you want to believe in is gone unless you want a rigidly classed society under authoritarian rule by a small group of elites. The DNC sucks but they haven’t completely given up on America as a representative democracy.
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You can’t convince me that Clearance Thomas is not a Trumpkin.
Not merely for being a conservative judge, but the sheer level of entitledment and grift, they’re two sides of the same coin.
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While I trust 8 of the justices to be non-cultists (even if I may disagree with their views)…I think saying the insurrection clause applies to Trump might be a step too far for the 4 most conservative of the 8. Add in Thomas, and…
I think federal courts (but maybe not the SCOTUS yet) have stepped in when states have tried to impose constraints on getting on the ballot for President, Congressperson, or Senator beyond the very basic ones in the Constitutions.
I doubt Trump will be denied ballot access even in the bluest state, because of the insurrection clause.
Eh, if Nikki Haley or Chris Christie was the GOP nominee, that’s a lot better for the country than if Trump is, IMO.
DeSantis… eh, maybe not, but I still think I’d take him over Trump if forced to choose. That’s admittedly a tougher decision.
I’m not saying any of them are great. But “better than Trump” is a bar that most GOP candidates do actually clear.
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Yeah, he might possibly be, but he strikes me as more opportunistic than insurrectiony.
He is married to a seditionist though.
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Yeah, I haven’t followed that as closely as I could have. My initial impression was “hopeful idiot”, but I’m not super confident I got that one right. Regardless, Thomas is only 1 vote.
I don’t think Amy Coney Barrett or Neil Gorsuch are in Trump’s pocket even though he appointed them. I hope not, anyway.
Kavanaugh I’m less sure about.
Who am I missing? Gotta prep for a meeting so I’ll check back later.
You have a meeting and THIS is not the topic??
Christie is probably closest to “old school” republican. Haley I don’t think is all that much different from the rest of the field. Didn’t she also have her own corruption issues that had her leaving the Trump administration?
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Roberts. He’s not in Trump’s pocket, but his style is such that I’d see him saying the insurrection clause is moot unless there’s been an admission of guilt or a conviction.
Roberts likes to build consensus when possible, and he might be able to win over at least one liberal justice by punting on those grounds.
And, tbf, I think the “unless there’s been an admission of guilt or a conviction” argument has merit.
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I’m not aware of Haley’s corruption in her position outside of violating the Hatch Act. But that’s all, which in terms of the 45 administration is like jaywalking. I doubt that factored into her leaving.
She did things I didn’t like, of course. And I could be forgetting something.
Oh, I could be wrong and obviously didn’t go anywhere since that’s the kind of thing your opponents might bring up but I think it involved personal travel which in the greater scheme of things is probably pretty small potatoes.
Peter Navarro guilty of contempt. Up to one year in prison but I’m guessing he gets something like 3 months house arrest. Sentencing phase set for January 12th. Not sure why it takes that long to sentence but whatever.
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Yeah, I don’t think he’s in Trump’s pocket. Alito is who I was missing. I’m not too sure about him.