Two very different episodes on Thursday provide growing evidence of a Department of Justice that is showing less respect, by the day, for the rule of law.
Like many people, I was struck by the footnote in Sassoon's letter where she mentions the quid pro quo meeting with Adams's attorneys and then says: "Mr. Bove admonished a member of my team who took notes during that meeting and directed the collection of those notes at the meeting's conclusion." Sounds as if Bove invoked the Stringer Bell Rule (in somewhat sanitized form: never take notes on a criminal conspiracy).
You didn't mention the part about the Adams charges being dismissed without prejudice. Donny Corleone wants them hanging around in case Hizzoner doesn't put out.
We are in a very bad place. At this rate, I give it 2 weeks before the administration defies / ignores a court order and essentially tells the courts they do not have any power to stop the administration from doing anything. Then what?
A third action worth noting is suspension of cases involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for the stated reason of allowing US companies and those doing US business to be as corrupt as others in the international arena!
Is Bove or Bondi (or anyone else who follows their blatantly unethical commands) at risk of being disciplined by the bar for their seeming misrepresentations of the law?
Steve, thanks. Is Trump challenging SCOTUS to enforce their ruling since he will not? If so, how? (maybe we don't need Marbury v Madison after all; just let the Executive Branch decide. Like now.) ;)
I was thinking something along the same lines -- if the exec branch refuses to enforce the law passed by Congress, would someone have to have standing to sue and say, "I'm being injured by the TikTok ban not being enforced"? Is that plausible?
It's worth noting that violating the TikTok law in this fashion -- particularly when the president could ask Congress to change the law -- is pretty much by definition an impeachable act. The president and the AG cannot just deny the validity of a law. Of course, the same Congress would not actually impeach, but it does no good to pretend that it's not impeachable.
adams is super tight with bannon's crypto partner Brock Pierce (and in fact flew to Puerto Rico to raise money from Pierce and maybe other crypto bros quite recently).
adams is far more corrupt than even the DOJ charges filed so far make clear. for instance he hasn't even been charged for all the china / israel crypto money.
also speaking as someone who had the pleasure of observing Danielle Sassoon in action live and in person during the SBF / FTX trial i can attest to the fact that she is an *incredibly* effective communicator. read any of the press about the trial and you will see everyone who watched it observed this to be true. "holy shit that DA Sassoon is fucking crushing this" was like 70% of all discussion during breaks in the trial over in the journalists' section.
“The result will be to put that much more pressure on courts (and to cede that much more power to courts)—to be skeptical even in cases in which the government is acting in the best interests of the rule of law. I fear that we’ll all miss the Department’s credibility once it’s gone. At this rate, that will be sooner rather than later.“. It’s not gone yet.
Impeccable writing. So readable, so erudite, witty, and very detailed, but not heavy. Thank you for that. Other than the shooting, I enjoyed the play.
Like many people, I was struck by the footnote in Sassoon's letter where she mentions the quid pro quo meeting with Adams's attorneys and then says: "Mr. Bove admonished a member of my team who took notes during that meeting and directed the collection of those notes at the meeting's conclusion." Sounds as if Bove invoked the Stringer Bell Rule (in somewhat sanitized form: never take notes on a criminal conspiracy).
Love the Stronger Bell ref....
Stringer Bell. Not stronger!
You didn't mention the part about the Adams charges being dismissed without prejudice. Donny Corleone wants them hanging around in case Hizzoner doesn't put out.
It's the Thursday Night Dumbassacre.
They wiped out a passel of Trump hires just to do a corruption.
Maybe too rhyme-y?: Trump-Dump-assacre
We are in a very bad place. At this rate, I give it 2 weeks before the administration defies / ignores a court order and essentially tells the courts they do not have any power to stop the administration from doing anything. Then what?
Tik-Tok statute passed with bipartisan support (House 360-58; Senate 82 to 20) due to the national security threat.
Thank you. This ranch worker feels more informed.
A third action worth noting is suspension of cases involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for the stated reason of allowing US companies and those doing US business to be as corrupt as others in the international arena!
Is Bove or Bondi (or anyone else who follows their blatantly unethical commands) at risk of being disciplined by the bar for their seeming misrepresentations of the law?
Thank you for the record. Great writing of revolting circumstances.
Is it bizarre to announce that I'm a fangirl?
Steve, thanks. Is Trump challenging SCOTUS to enforce their ruling since he will not? If so, how? (maybe we don't need Marbury v Madison after all; just let the Executive Branch decide. Like now.) ;)
I was thinking something along the same lines -- if the exec branch refuses to enforce the law passed by Congress, would someone have to have standing to sue and say, "I'm being injured by the TikTok ban not being enforced"? Is that plausible?
It's worth noting that violating the TikTok law in this fashion -- particularly when the president could ask Congress to change the law -- is pretty much by definition an impeachable act. The president and the AG cannot just deny the validity of a law. Of course, the same Congress would not actually impeach, but it does no good to pretend that it's not impeachable.
And we're only 3 weeks in 🫤
adams is super tight with bannon's crypto partner Brock Pierce (and in fact flew to Puerto Rico to raise money from Pierce and maybe other crypto bros quite recently).
adams is far more corrupt than even the DOJ charges filed so far make clear. for instance he hasn't even been charged for all the china / israel crypto money.
https://cryptadamus.substack.com/p/eric-adams-yet-another-crypto-success
also speaking as someone who had the pleasure of observing Danielle Sassoon in action live and in person during the SBF / FTX trial i can attest to the fact that she is an *incredibly* effective communicator. read any of the press about the trial and you will see everyone who watched it observed this to be true. "holy shit that DA Sassoon is fucking crushing this" was like 70% of all discussion during breaks in the trial over in the journalists' section.
if she decides to get loud about this it will be a big problem for Trump. more on my experience of watching sassoon do her job: https://substack.com/@cryptadamus/note/c-93293371?
Bondi already showed that she doesn’t follow the constitution or the law! Good job maga GOP in the House and Senate!
“The result will be to put that much more pressure on courts (and to cede that much more power to courts)—to be skeptical even in cases in which the government is acting in the best interests of the rule of law. I fear that we’ll all miss the Department’s credibility once it’s gone. At this rate, that will be sooner rather than later.“. It’s not gone yet.