The Trump Court had a field day at the expense of Donald Trump on Monday, issuing one order affirming the ability of states to count late-arriving absentee ballots, a second ruling that he does not have the power to fire a member of the Federal Reserve, a third in which it declined to hear an appeal of the $5 million verdict in the E. Jean Carroll case, and a fourth in which it passed on hearing an appeal of Trump-friendly lawyer Alan Dershowitz challenging a lower-court ruling in a defamation case.
Too bad there wasn’t another case on abortion rights for the Supremes to rule on.
The robed ones were fire today!
We’re now awaiting the expected social media firestorm from Trump, who we can foresee calling for term limits for the justices, in addition to wanting to pack the court, impeach a couple of them – basically, agreeing with Democrats in terms of proposed solutions.
Today’s rulings
- A split 5-4 court upheld a Mississippi law allowing the state to count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The five in the majority: the three liberals, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, and conservatives Amy Coney Barrett and Chief Justice John Roberts.
- The Federal Reserve case involved Trump’s attempt to fire Lisa Cook. Technically, the court ruling here only applies to a lower-court order blocking her dismissal as her suit against the administration challenging the firing makes its way through the courts. The 5-4 majority included the three liberals, plus Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh.
- Trump is still liable for sexually abusing Jean Carroll, and later defaming her. He’s still appealing a second court ruling in a separate case involving Carroll ordering him to pay $83.3 million in damages.
- Alan Dershowitz was trying to sue CNN for $300 million on his defamation claim, involving the network’s coverage of the lawyer’s remarks made in defense of Trump during one of the president’s impeachment trials.
Next steps
- The security teams for Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh and John Roberts might want to be on red alert the next few days.
- Alan Dershowitz will make a public appeal to be nominated to a Supreme Court seat.
- Jean Carroll can still count on never seeing any of that money.