Special counsel Jack Smith on Monday asked the Supreme Court to take up and rule quickly on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted on charges he plotted to overturn the 2020 election results.
Smith made his request for the court to act with unusual speed to prevent any delays that could push back the trial of the 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner, currently set to begin March 4, until after next year’s presidential election.
Later Monday, the justices indicated they would decide quickly whether to hear the case, ordering Trump’s lawyers to respond by Dec. 20. The court’s brief order did not signal what it ultimately would do.
Smith intends to shortcut the appeals process by going straight to the top. And yes, this is unusual, but not without precedent. The Supreme Court told Nixon to get bent in a similar case.
Playing with fire a bit, but I have full faith in Smith. But think about it, what if I had your ass in court and said, “Fuck @Buffalox! Take his case to the Supreme Court and get a ruling that he’s preemptively fucked, without recourse to lower courts.” Smith said as much:
“The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request. This is an extraordinary case,” prosecutors wrote. “The Court should grant certiorari and set a briefing schedule that would permit this case to be argued and resolved as promptly as possible.”
The Court doesn’t have to take it, and may not. If they don’t, that means the lower court’s ruling stays, “Hell yes Trump is able to be prosecuted.” If they do, I still imagine they judge Trump open to prosecution. Just because they’re conservative and he appointed them, they don’t owe him jack shit. Like all the power players, they probably hate his guts. And unlike elected politicians, the justices have nothing to lose.
If they take the case, I’m eager to read the Alito/Thomas dissent
Alito: According to a legal tenet established in 1486, the law states unequivocally that fuck you, that’s why.
Thomas: The winner at the close of bidding establishes unequivocally that Trump shouldn’t go to jail.
I want to read the request that just asks “Can a former president be prosecuted?” and the majority opinion to just say “Yes.”