Today is Tuesday, January 9, 2024.     Today the “dipshit” lawyers for Donald J. Chump argued their chilling version of sweeping presidential powers unencumbered by prosecutorial reckoning in an exchange between them and several appeals court justices who immolated the lawyers’ claim of presidential immunity from all kinds of actions committed while in office.  This disturbing view of what a presidential candidate for office could be contemplating is covered in an online Raw Story by Travis Gettys entitled ‘This is over’: Legal experts weigh in as Trump lawyer ‘demolishes’ own immunity case.”

Dump’s lawyers vainly attempted to persuade an appeals court panel that a former president could commit almost any action and evade prosecution, but legal experts weren’t impressed by their dangerous arguments.    

“Trump attorney Dean John Sauer argued that special counsel Jack Smith had based his prosecution on “official acts” the former president undertook while in office, but legal experts said hypothetical scenarios sketched by Justice Florence Pan about a chief executive ordering the assassination of a political rival showed deep skepticism from the three-judge panel on those immunity claims.”

Chris Geidner, a legal analyst, said “Judge Pan is absolutely destroying the absolute immunity argument using Trump’s own argument.”  He said that this process is over for Dump.

Political analyst Sarah Reese Jones said, “Trump’s immunity argument gets destroyed when a federal appeals court judge asks, ‘Could a president order SEAL Team 6 to assassinate a political rival?  That is an official act and order to Seal Team 6?”   The lawyer had to hem and haw and respond with an affirmative, which destroyed their argument immediately.  

This dipshit lawyer held close to the argument that presidents could only be prosecuted after an impeachment and conviction, about which the judges also appeared skeptical.  Legal analyst Harry Litman jumped on Sauer’s specious argument, saying, “Trump lawyer trying to hew to the line that can never prosecute a President unless first there is an impeachment and conviction.  An untenable argument and he’s getting very hard time from panel.  Court now pointing out impeachment only covers certain crimes.”

Esquire columnist Charles Pierce wrote, “So far, the star of the Court of Appeals this morning is Judge Florence Pan, who is having a great deal of fun pointing out that the former president’s lawyers have already demolished their case for absolute immunity.”

Weighing in on this consequential day in court, former federal prosecutor and frequent MSNBC contributor, Andrew Weissmann, said, “So shocking to hear Trump counsel say a president is free to sell pardons and kill political opponents, unless and until successfully impeached (which may never happen for a host of reasons).” 

Stating the obvious, political analyst Goldie Taylor indicated, “Nixon had no impeachment and conviction, yet was given a Presidential pardon covering those crimes.  That alone means a former president can be prosecuted with or without an impeachment process.    There is no immunity.”

Longtime newspaper editor summed it up with his observation, “Listening to the appellate court hearing on Trump’s immunity claim.  Good lord, his lawyer is a dipshit.”

National security attorney Bradley Moss echoed my sentiments from the other day when he predicted that if Chump won this crazy argument for absolute immunity, why would Biden even bother letting Trump make it to Election Day if he’s deemed a dangerous threat to democracy?   “He could have him murdered, along with GOP congressional allies, and be immune.”   Case closed!    Let’s set a date for Chump’s first trial now.

Showing how dangerous a threat he is to this country, Trump refused to respond when asked by reporters in Washington if he would tell his supporters to not use violence after an appeals court heard oral arguments in his ridiculous efforts to secure absolute immunity for all acts he committed as president, but hey, wasn’t January 6, 2021, after he gave up the presidency?    As the Orange Turd was walking away, he was asked if he would tell his supporters to not engage in violence, Chump did not stop and did not answer.   He just walked away.    America should just walk away from the Donald, it’s obviously so clear from this man’s actions.  

Today marked just four days with Atticus, our new furry baby.    There were some new milestones with him, such as his allowing me to pet him on the couch which he found only this morning at 1:20 a.m.  It seemed that he was enjoying himself very much as he let me pet him under his belly and under his neck.    He also made an effort to snuggle with me as I was sitting on the couch and watching the news.   He also jumped on the arm of Elliot’s barcalounger for the first time.  For only four days, he appears quite at home here, and we’re very pleased with his progress.

Elliot is asking me to get off so we can watch a movie on Amazon.

Stay safe and be well. 

Here’s Atticus on the arm of the chair.

Here he is sitting on the chair.