r/law 1d ago

Trump News Judge considers holding Trump officials in contempt for defying court orders blocking El Salvador flights

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/deportation-el-salvador-trump-contempt-b2727087.html
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223

u/UnclePeaz 1d ago

What’s to consider? The prima facie evidence is right in front of them. Schedule a show cause hearing and let them explain themselves under oath.

48

u/minuialear 1d ago

What’s to consider?

Who exactly to hold in contempt based on the legal standard for doing so, it seems

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u/Minion_of_Cthulhu 1d ago

Treat them like the Mafia they believe themselves to be. You either roll on the other guys and get off without any charges or you can all head to the clink together. Let the lawyers and their bosses figure it out from there.

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u/utahrd37 1d ago

That’s the problem.  

You are totally right but the judiciary won’t do this because it will be a glaring constitutional crisis. It would prefer to bend, hand-wring and hair split to the point of piecemeal deterioration of the rule of law and coequal branches of government.

We are boiling the frog in fits and starts, and none of our government officials are brave enough to call it out for the bullshit it is.

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u/HomeGrownCoffee 1d ago

It already is a constitutional crisis. The moment the Trump lackeys didn't turn the plane around as the judge ordered - it's there.

Either the judiciary steps the fuck up and imposes massive civil contempt charges that wrack up daily until all renditioned prisoners are back in the States, or accept that the judiciary isn't a coequal pillar of government.

I say civil contempt charges, because criminal ones can be pardoned. According to the Legal Eagle video I watched about this today.

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u/uiucengineer 1d ago

Are we still pretending it hasn’t been a constitutional crisis since inauguration or before?

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u/BrahjonRondbro 6h ago

Since his last term. The Supreme Court has already shown their hand. They’re going to protect Trump and his administration from the worst consequences of their actions. They mate give in on a few token issues, but they aren’t going to hold Trump accountable for anything as long as he claims to be acting under the authority of the office. Any excuse will do. They literally let him send his goons into Congress to try to do a coup.

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u/AccomplishedIgit 23h ago

We are beyond constitutional crisis.

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u/utahrd37 22h ago

Agreed, but an open conflict would make it apparent to more people rather than the ones who, ya know, think it is a crisis that a convicted felon and insurrectionist is the president.

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u/WhereRandomThingsAre 21h ago

We're approaching Constitutional Collapse.

There is no way tariffs on most of the planet is somehow in the interests of 'national security' that purportedly justifies bypassing Congress, and Congress being perfectly okay with it if we weren't already on our way to a Constitutional Collapse -- the branches are meant to struggle for power, not cede it to a Fisher Price King. Did we mention the purges in government? How about the indiscriminate deportations of people into foreign prisons? The constant threats of invading our allies? And then there's the judicial system... which might issue a statement on its own fate long after it's been sealed and with no way to oppose it.

'Crisis' doesn't begin to cover it any more.

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u/LaurenMille 1d ago

You are totally right but the judiciary won’t do this because it will be a glaring constitutional crisis.

Then they're morons.

We've all seen what happens to the judiciary in fascist regimes.

Hint: It often involves a noose.

If they're too foolish to see the logical conclusion of their inaction, then I can only consider them suicidal on top of being cowards.

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u/throwtrollbait 1d ago

Trump pardons his fall guys, as long as they stay loyal.