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Trump's autocracy is growing--but patriotic opposition is growing faster -- Norman Eisen
https://contrarian.substack.com/p/trumps-autocracy-is-growingbut-patrioticI live about a mile from the White House, but even at this distance, when the wind is blowing north, you can smell the desperation. Trump is losing, Elon is laying low(er) and likely on the way out of government and they and their cronies had another shambolic week. Like Putin predicting he would take Ukraine’s capital in days and getting his ass Kyived, Trump’s attempted authoritarian takeover of Washington is stalled or moving in reverse. That is true across all the four main fronts of the battle between autocracy and democracy—the four P’s.
Proceedings. Courts, lawyers and judges have been the leading edge of opposing authoritarianism. I wrote last week about the trend in the Supreme Court of holding Trump back. That continued overnight Saturday with the 7-2 order stopping illegal deportation planes from taking off that we covered right here at The Contrarian in real time.
But this is not just going on at SCOTUS. There are now over 70 temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and other forms of relief against Trump’s illegality in federal courts around the country. Just this week in my separate legal work—supported by profits from The Contrarian and so by all of you paying subscribers—we won additional relief for thousands of probationary employees, extended our TRO stopping Trump from dismantling the Voice of America, filed a class action on behalf of USAID employees, were in court fighting Trump’s executive order attempting to sabotage elections—and much more. Your paid subscription helps those efforts.
Politics. Among political leaders, state-level officials and in particular state AG’s continue to outperform. They do that both by litigating in the court of law and by speaking out in the court of public opinion. As for federal Congressional opposition, the somnolesence of the early days of Trump has been replaced by members waking up and taking action. When I was in court this week as part of the team challenging the Trump elections EO, I was delighted to see that Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries were plaintiffs as well (with separate counsel).
. . .
Proceedings. Courts, lawyers and judges have been the leading edge of opposing authoritarianism. I wrote last week about the trend in the Supreme Court of holding Trump back. That continued overnight Saturday with the 7-2 order stopping illegal deportation planes from taking off that we covered right here at The Contrarian in real time.
But this is not just going on at SCOTUS. There are now over 70 temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and other forms of relief against Trump’s illegality in federal courts around the country. Just this week in my separate legal work—supported by profits from The Contrarian and so by all of you paying subscribers—we won additional relief for thousands of probationary employees, extended our TRO stopping Trump from dismantling the Voice of America, filed a class action on behalf of USAID employees, were in court fighting Trump’s executive order attempting to sabotage elections—and much more. Your paid subscription helps those efforts.
Politics. Among political leaders, state-level officials and in particular state AG’s continue to outperform. They do that both by litigating in the court of law and by speaking out in the court of public opinion. As for federal Congressional opposition, the somnolesence of the early days of Trump has been replaced by members waking up and taking action. When I was in court this week as part of the team challenging the Trump elections EO, I was delighted to see that Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries were plaintiffs as well (with separate counsel).
. . .