Court Implodes Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Defense
Plus, Trump Stands in the Middle of Fifth Avenue and Shoots the Constitution.
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KIMBERLY WEHLE: Court Implodes Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Defense (and the Errant Judge Who Bought It).
On Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit finally put to rest the special master nonsense that Donald Trump set in motion late August, when he persuaded U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to interfere with the FBI’s investigation of his illegal harboring of classified and other presidential records at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Special Counsel Jack Smith can now proceed apace with the investigation.
What’s remarkable about the decision is not the outcome—anyone with a passing legal education could see that Cannon’s ruling was indefensible. It’s how the panel of three judges utterly demolished Trump and Cannon both, in unforgiving language inspired by foundational principles of constitutional restraint.
CHRISTIAN VANDERBROUK: What’s The Downside For Humoring Her?
In the words of Ernie McCracken, Kari Lake was on a gravy train with biscuit wheels.
In the days leading up to the November election, the former Phoenix television news anchor—having cruised to the GOP nomination for governor of Arizona on an unapologetic campaign of rejecting Donald Trump’s 2020 defeat and escalating the culture wars—was already being groomed for higher office.
Trump has upped the ante from sedition to Nazis and terminating the Constitution — and yet Republicans continue to shrug. Plus, the anti-science fever is spreading, and the genius behind the marketing of Herschel Walker in Georgia. Will Saletan’s back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday.
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CATHY YOUNG: Russia to Gays: Shut Up and Disappear.
As Russia continues to flounder in Ukraine, with attempts to capture the small town of Bakhmut turning into a grisly reenactment of the Battle of Verdun, and Kremlin propagandists lurching back and forth between hysterical swagger and the five stages of grief, the Russian political establishment has decided to tackle what’s really important: a national “Don’t Say Gay” law. A bill that outlaws “LGBT propaganda”—defined so broadly as to cover not only gay or transgender rights advocacy but potentially all public expressions of “nontraditional” sexuality or gender identity—passed the State Duma on November 24 and was approved by the upper house of Russia’s fake legislature, the Council of Federations, last Wednesday. There’s not much suspense as to whether Vladimir Putin will sign it.
RICHARD AFTERGUT: Trump Stands in the Middle of Fifth Avenue and Shoots the Constitution.
On Saturday, Donald Trump did not merely bet the farm on being elected president in 2024. He bet Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago, Bedminster, the golf links at Aberdeen, and the private jet, too. In a single social media post, he put his ability to defend against an indictment in even greater jeopardy than it already was.
On Truth Social, he called for the overthrow of the American government—specifically, “for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution” in order to “declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER” from 2020 or “have a NEW ELECTION”….
🚨OVERTIME 🚨
Happy Monday! Sad about Team USA? Me, too. Tough game. But so it goes.
One Kale of a problem… Stumping for Herschel Walker, Sen. Kennedy (LA) made fun of liberals and kale. Only one problem. Georgia is one of the biggest American producers of kale. (Bonus: a funny video about kale from my pal Andrew Heaton.)
A Frosty conspiracy… My twins lurve them some Frosty the Snowman. But alas, this being the internet, there is a conspiracy. Because there always is.
DeShaun Watson is back… And the Browns won basically despite him. Sell the team, Jimmy Haslam! You are bad at football decisions.
The new 2024 Senate battlegrounds: Ohio, West Virginia, Montana, and Indiana. Prepare yourselves.
He’s…. maybe running? John Bolton teases a bid for… President? Good luck with that.
That’s it for me. Tech support questions? Email members@thebulwark.com. Questions for me? Respond to this message.
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