General Discussion

Just_Vote_Dem

(3,528 posts) Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:01 AM Mar 2025

Trump is breaking the law--and he wants you to know that

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/17/2310197/-Trump-is-breaking-the-law-and-he-wants-you-to-know-that

If the U.S. president is functionally a king, as Trump believes, then that president doesn’t need to justify their actions even if the law requires it. Take Trump’s firings of 17 inspectors general. Trump does have the power to remove those agency watchdogs as long as he notifies both houses of Congress at least 30 days before doing so, and provides “substantive rationale” and “case-specific” reasons for the removal.

Instead, Trump fired the inspectors general five days into his second term, effective immediately and without explanation or prior notice to Congress. He declared, wrongly, that this move was “a very common thing to do.” Perennial Trump lapdog Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina brushed off the violation, saying, “Just tell them you need to follow the law next time.”

All Trump needed to do here was give notice to Congress and wait 30 days. By ignoring that requirement and providing no real explanation, Trump is making clear that he doesn’t care what the law says. Waiting and providing an explanation would have acknowledged Congress' authority, and Trump wants everyone to know that he isn’t going to do so.

It’s the same with his removal of various heads of independent agencies. Generally, those individuals can be fired only for cause, because Congress created those agencies to have a level of independence from presidents. But Trump didn’t even pretend to follow the law when he attempted to remove National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox. At the time, he said she was being removed because “heads of agencies within the Executive Branch must share the objectives of [his] administration.”

20 replies

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Highlight:

Trump is breaking the law--and he wants you to know that (Original Post) Just_Vote_Dem Mar 2025 OP

I don't need that dickhead to point it out to me. Aristus Mar 2025 #1

Hear, HEAR ZDU Mar 2025 #14

Lock him up! malaise Mar 2025 #2

Not that he might change course but any meaningful lawsuits against him about this? Guess I have to get a roster... dutch777 Mar 2025 #3

Here is a litigation tracker from Just Security: Qutzupalotl Mar 2025 #5

He dares anyone to... 2naSalit Mar 2025 #4

Exactly..this needs to be our total focus...not continually fighting or posting anger about the CR bill PortTack Mar 2025 #13

I wonder Rebl2 Mar 2025 #6

I can envision DENVERPOPS Mar 2025 #8

I agree Rebl2 Mar 2025 #18

Truth is DENVERPOPS Mar 2025 #20

So he keeps on breaking the law & judges orders Blue Full Moon Mar 2025 #7

Ok he turned us into a third world country. Hope22 Mar 2025 #9

Why is anyone surprised that a convicted felon is breaking the law. Augiedog Mar 2025 #10

I am not Rebl2 Mar 2025 #19

But have the firings you describe been filed by those fired as the plaintiffs? I haven't seen any case like these. ancianita Mar 2025 #11

He is above the law, ask chief justice of the US supreme court and his 5 other lackies. republianmushroom Mar 2025 #12

Trump flaunts his immunity card aeromanKC Mar 2025 #15

All that's missing is cabinet members and assistants with nicknames like Chopper, Knuckles, Batsy, Snubber, Ping Tung Mar 2025 #16

Trump & Bondi now straight-up defying the court, LetMyPeopleVote Mar 2025 #17

Aristus

(71,649 posts)

1. I don't need that dickhead to point it out to me.

Reply to Just_Vote_Dem (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:03 AM

Mar 2025

We elected a felon convicted on thirty-seven charges.

ZDU

(1,119 posts)

14. Hear, HEAR

Reply to Aristus (Reply #1)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 11:42 AM

Mar 2025

malaise

(292,802 posts)

2. Lock him up!

Reply to Just_Vote_Dem (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:08 AM

Mar 2025

Rec

dutch777

(4,880 posts)

3. Not that he might change course but any meaningful lawsuits against him about this? Guess I have to get a roster...

Reply to Just_Vote_Dem (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:10 AM

Mar 2025

...to track lawsuits. Praying the DNC is!

Qutzupalotl

(15,661 posts)

5. Here is a litigation tracker from Just Security:

Reply to dutch777 (Reply #3)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 10:11 AM

Mar 2025

https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/

It’s… extensive.

On edit: here is a relevant case: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69632418/storch-v-hegseth/

2naSalit

(100,019 posts)

4. He dares anyone to...

Reply to Just_Vote_Dem (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:18 AM

Mar 2025

Come after him since he feels he has all the levers of power to defeat them and punish them. We need to prove him wrong.

PortTack

(35,815 posts)

13. Exactly..this needs to be our total focus...not continually fighting or posting anger about the CR bill

Reply to 2naSalit (Reply #4)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 11:34 AM

Mar 2025

It’s over…WE HAVE TO MOVE ON!

Rebl2

(17,404 posts)

6. I wonder

Reply to Just_Vote_Dem (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 10:17 AM

Mar 2025

what would happen if trump decided to do away with the Supreme Court. What do you think their reaction would be. He isn’t following any court orders.

DENVERPOPS

(13,003 posts)

8. I can envision

Reply to Rebl2 (Reply #6)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 10:52 AM

Mar 2025

at some point in his "monarchy" he will abandon the House, the Senate and the US Supreme Court as no longer needed as he is obsessed with the U.S. becoming a tyranny......

He is certainly known, and has a long history of abandoning people who have helped him and have been loyal to him.......
The second they have achieved the point of no longer being useful, he throws them under the bus, and kicks them to the curb.
He is rapidly usurping more and more power, and approaching the point where he will soon no longer need the legislative branch or the judicial branch.

Rebl2

(17,404 posts)

18. I agree

Reply to DENVERPOPS (Reply #8)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 03:37 PM

Mar 2025

If courts don’t start standing up to him as well as congress, they won’t be needed. The courts have made rulings against him he has ignored and I see nothing being done.

DENVERPOPS

(13,003 posts)

20. Truth is

Reply to Rebl2 (Reply #18)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 07:33 PM

Mar 2025

All of them have been intent on creating a Frankenstein's Monster, and none of them have a clue of what to do now.......

The Republican Party, every last Republican Politician, and the UBER Rich Republican Oligarchs, as well as the Republican U.S Supreme Court Republican Justices, have successfully turned loose a sadistic, narcissistic, Psychopath,...... not only on the U.S., but on the world....AND he is being guided by his idol, Hitler and his black mailer, Putin.... Two other psychopaths.....

Blue Full Moon

(3,162 posts)

7. So he keeps on breaking the law & judges orders

Reply to Just_Vote_Dem (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 10:46 AM

Mar 2025

So he decides no more elections. When exactly does he get removed?

Hope22

(4,468 posts)

9. Ok he turned us into a third world country.

Reply to Just_Vote_Dem (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 10:53 AM

Mar 2025

It seems like we can now put him in jail without damaging our reputation! That ship has sailed. And take his boy Elon and Doggie with him!

Augiedog

(2,686 posts)

10. Why is anyone surprised that a convicted felon is breaking the law.

Reply to Just_Vote_Dem (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 11:09 AM

Mar 2025

Rebl2

(17,404 posts)

19. I am not

Reply to Augiedog (Reply #10)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 03:41 PM

Mar 2025

surprised because he said on day one he would be a dictator. Now some who voted for him are finding out the consequences of voting for him and they are not liking it at all.