BREAKING: Understanding Judge Boasberg's Contempt Ruling Today - Andrew Weissmann

[Rhiannon12866]

Judge Boasberg today found the government was in contempt of his order not to remove people to El Salvador and to bring them back if they were not yet there. He details his factual findings. I discuss what it means to be in civil vs criminal contempt (an issue I have dealt with in my career). - Andrew Weissmann - 04/16/2025.

0:00 – Intro: Why contempt matters now
0:35 – What is civil contempt?
2:45 – What is criminal contempt?
4:12 – Judge Boasberg’s ruling on DOJ violations
6:45 – Can the DOJ be prosecuted?
7:40 – A looming constitutional crisis

[Frasier Balzov]

1. Civil contempt would impose fines to compel compliance.

Fines against individuals determined to be most responsible for disobeying the court's order.

Joint and several personal financial responsibility for fines imposed upon them for their ongoing contempt as operatives of the Trump administration?

Squeeze these specific individuals with fines to compel the ADMINISTRATION to comply?

And if they are unable or unwilling to comply, turn to punishing them as criminal contemnors?

For which crime a special prosecutor can be appointed to prosecute?

And for which crime Trump LACKS the plenary power to pardon?

If I'm following this accurately, it looks like a dead end.