r/politics • u/harsh2k5 • 1d ago

Soft Paywall The Trump Administration Just Violated Another Court Order | It gets worse: The order found that the administration was covertly withholding millions in FEMA funds from blue states.

https://newrepublic.com/post/193650/trump-administration-just-violated-another-court-order
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u/travio Washington 1d ago

Lock them up! The courts need to use contempt against these people. Put them in jail until they comply.

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u/Melancholy_Rainbows Montana 1d ago

Unfortunately, criminal contempt is going to be tricky, even if the courts have the balls.

First, it’s enforced by the Federal Marshals, who are under the control of Trump’s DoJ. Although it may be possible to deputize someone else to enforce it, it’s dicey.

Second, criminal contempt can be pardoned by the President.

Civil contempt might work, though, although it obviously wouldn’t be as satisfying.

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u/gumgajua Canada 1d ago

The more I hear about how your government truly works, the more I'm not so sure the FF's were against the idea of having a king, because Trump sure does seem like it.

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u/Melancholy_Rainbows Montana 1d ago

I think they assumed that each branch would jealously guard their powers. Humans don’t usually cede power once they have it, but Congressional Republicans seem to be too happy to do just that.

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u/theVoidWatches Pennsylvania 1d ago

Yup. They also warned against political parties, in part because they knew it would make this kind of coordination possible. Of course, they promptly formed political parties anyway.

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u/ABHOR_pod 1d ago

In a one party state they'd be the party elites instead of one of 535 legislators.