Tibetan painting detail of clouds. Tibet is located geographically in the Himalayas which are roughly at 29,000 feet above sea level at its famous summit.
Former United States Attorney, former attorney general of Rhode Island and current U.S. Senator of Rhode Island, Sheldon Whitehouse has been holding his version of ted talks on the floor of the Senate. Also by Sheldon Whitehouse, The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court was published earlier this year. If you are interested in how huge quantities of money from special interest groups get into the personal pockets of Federal judges, you are looking to the right guy, at the right time.
Our world has been rocked first by the leak that Roe v Wade was going away and then it going away. How we got here is as important to know as how do we get out of where we are. It will be tough and it will require courage. It will also be extremely uncomfortable when clarity replaces obfuscation as some in black robes will be escorted to the door. It could happen.
The events of the past few months and years have made us all aware of the Federalist Society and how they are a group that “picks” folks that they highly recommend for positions on the bench. This list gets handed over to I imagine the president and his people and they say, pick one, any one, as they are all given the stamp of approval by whom? With 70,000 lawyers, 200 student chapters or more, The Federalist Society at 40 years old, it is thought to be the most influential legal organization in the United States, leaning decidedly to the right in any year, made entirely of conservative and libertarian minds. It is assurance by one group with a particular bias and we understand a specific agenda. Similar but very different than, lets say, looking for a board certified doctor, where the board is handing the credentials to individuals based on testing scores, the picks are made with what as the criteria?
Problem is, The Federalist Society and perhaps others have been bribing judges and potential judges on the list to create the outcomes they want. So, very conservative Federalist Society picks extremely pliable people who are judges to get installed and we get … women’s right to privacy overturned. Sheldon Whitehouse has more. He has “the receipts”. Rep. Whitehouse in his 20th speech is, with thanks to Eric Garland for offering the clip publicly, is included here in a must watch clear and concise talk.
Rules and laws are only made when someone or something happens that is a danger to someone or someones property or society at large. Every law even the constitution one might think was made to set a framework of guides for behavior of all kinds. The reason of what is bing protected behind laws may be referred to as the spirit of the law. Laws can be simply broken and the consequences are to be had. Punishment or some kind of repairing what was broken is in order. But what if the spirit of the law is ignored and ways around a law are made? It’s a loophole and often more laws are made to close those. Law becomes complex and the need for experts is obvious. Those who know the law the best, are like in any pool of knowledge, the best ones to know where the weak spots are or where there are few limits. If you have the protection of people and the country at heart, you may want to strengthen those, if you are working on the side of getting around those rules for whatever reason, (thousands of unlawful reasons) one exploits those weaknesses.
Trump has sent a number of important issues to the Supreme Court, hoping they will help him out. All the usual ‘poor me’ rhetoric, signals Trump begging to have his lawsuits dismissed or delayed. With all the dark money sloshing around earmarked for casual bribes, we all sigh with relief when hearing “republican appointed judge finds in favor” of not Donald J. Trump in his ongoing attempt to slow roll the legal processes.
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest legal court in the nation. The appointment is for life or until the justice decides to step aside. There is no oversight of the court. No Inspector General. No HR. And one can argue no protection for them from meddling or worse. It is a bad situation and certainly not just because of Trump. The Supreme Court is held high and above all scrutiny. They are responsible for their own recusal if the individual feels they have a personal interest or the appearance of one. They answer to no one. Not each other, no other person or institution.
Whitehouse maintains, as do I and many others that an oversight must be made now and become a permanent fixture.
Two main concerns right now, beyond the grift, are concerns of who is on the bench currently, Brett Kavanaugh and many unanswered questions stands out. We watched the hearings, we cried at the rape allegations and were baffled at the lack of followup when the lines were opened to leads on Kavanaugh’s deeds in question. Thousands of leads in support of the rape allegations were reportedly ignored by FBI and Kavanaugh installed. Second is a looming pot of crazy surrounding Justice Thomas and his non judge wife who has quite openly supported the January 6th insurrection. She was a planner. She must be interviewed. She may have committed some serious crimes.
Let’s cypher a while like Jed Clampett and ponder the dollars. Mr. Whitehouse alleges 30 million dollars was spend by the Federalist Society from a dark money fund to influence the supreme court judges. That’s a lot of money, but over 20 years? Really? Is that so much? Twenty years, and nine judges. That factors out to about $3,200. a week ($12,800 a month) for everyone over that entire 20 year stretch. Again the allegations are mainly social outings and the like. Dinners. Playing with people who have terrific very conservative ideas and lots and lots of recommendations. Hunting is a terrific outing a lot of people like. For example at a Texas Lodge, much as the one Justice Scalia was visiting, Cibolo Creek Ranch, where he quite suddenly past away back in 2016.
A word about hunting lodges. The type of hunting lodge that a person visits as a high ranking whoever is not typically a third wheel taken to the forest and set near a clearing for camp. The only difference between the hunting lodge and the 5 star resort is not the count of the threads on the linen but more about the decor of the lobby.
Our young nation is having some rough growing pains. Some documents need updates. We are all more wily and we need greater protection for our institutions.
More and more challenges to come. Wiser and stronger, is the wish.