Hi friends,
If you were paying attention to arguments before the Supreme Court about presidential immunity from criminal prosecution yesterday, you were no doubt frustrated to learn that the most extreme conservatives on the court seemed primarily concerned that future presidents would face frivolous felony charges.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wasn’t buying the argument for immunity, for reasons that should be obvious to all of us:
If someone with those kinds of powers, the most powerful person in the world, with the greatest amount of authority, could go into office knowing that there would be no potential penalty for committing crimes, I'm trying to understand what the disincentive is from turning the Oval Office into the seat of criminal activity in this country.
It’s hard to talk feel optimistic that justice will be served when the Supreme Court is stacked with three Trump-appointees and the likes of Alito and Thomas.
It is interesting, however, to consider the claims of presidential immunity as more and more of the former president’s allies are facing charges for election interference.
This week, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes brought charges against 18 people, including Boris Epshteyn, Mark Meadows, and Rudy Giuliani, among others. Trump himself is an unindicted co-conspirator.
Among the dozens of people facing charges in Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia are many lawyers. The lawyers, advisors, and lesser-known foot-soldiers are likely to face consequences even though Trump himself may skate.
Andrew Weissmann has mocked what he calls “the Claude Rains defense” offered in the defense’s opening statement in the New York trial. On the Prosecuting Donald Trump podcast that he hosts with Mary McCord, Weissmann explained:
Claude Rains, as you recall, is in Casablanca, the movie. And he says, I’m shocked, shocked to find that there’s gambling in this place. And he closes down Rick’s Cafe. And as he says that, somebody comes up to him and says, sir, your winnings.
And, you know, this was the Claude Rains defense of like, I’m shocked that Michael Cohen was committing crimes.
Cohen served more than a year in prison for his involvement in the business fraud arising from the payment to Stormy Daniels, while Trump collected his winnings in the 2016 election.
Meanwhile, there is plentiful evidence to suggest that Trump did indeed turn the Oval Office into a seat of criminal activity.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has told the House speaker that the Biden administration will not withhold military aid from a troubled Israeli military unit accused of human rights violations, so long as Israel continues with steps to hold the members of the unit accountable.
Tell the president that he must hold Israel accountable.
New Yorkers faced a pretty somber Earth Day with the failure of the NY HEAT Act, which
hundreds of environmental groups rallied behind this session because it had the power to curb the expansion of gas infrastructure across the state. [T]he bill failed to make the budget thanks to a few holdouts in the Assembly who advocates say were persuaded by fossil fuels groups.
Two other bills that sought to confront the fossil fuel industry head on—the Climate Change Super Fund and the Stop Climate Polluters Handouts Act—also didn’t make the cut. The first would require oil and gas producers to pay billions of dollars to the state for their massive role in contributing to global warming, and the second would stop them from getting tax breaks.
The answer to this disappointment is to go back to our legislators, who are accountable to us, and talk to them about what’s at stake.
Join a NY Renews lobby visit to press legislators to deliver effective climate action.
The Mayor has taken credit for effective cost-cutting, while members of City Council have called him out for sloppy budgeting. Meanwhile, cuts to the libraries have not yet been restored.
City Council members will continue to negotiate with the Mayor to allocate the additional funds. Right now, the decision-makers need to hear from us.
Tell City Hall: No Cuts to our Public Libraries!
with love,
L