As recently as this past Monday, many news outlets were outraged at the elephantine pace at which the District of Columbia Court of Appeals’ three-judge panel seemed to be moving in handing down a decision regarding Donald Trump’s claim that a president enjoyed permanent immunity from prosecution for any crime, including sexual assault, which he has already bragged about doing, and murder, which he hasn’t gotten to yet but might in the future.
No problem. Thicket is exactly the right word, because that is where they usually hide, which they would love to have done this time, but likely will not be able to.
One more thing. What I was stressing was not the legal arguments, which are beyond flimsy, but rather how the unexpected tone of the decision put pressure on Roberts to force the Court to rule definitively. His first choice would have been to find a way to dodge the issue, his second to rule narrowly in way that said nothing but did not make him a target, and only if he were compelled to, tackle it head on. This has been his pattern--to retreat behind verbiage. That's going to be very difficult for him now. That to me, was the most significant aspect of the decision.
Thanks for leading us through the thicket
No problem. Thicket is exactly the right word, because that is where they usually hide, which they would love to have done this time, but likely will not be able to.
One more thing. What I was stressing was not the legal arguments, which are beyond flimsy, but rather how the unexpected tone of the decision put pressure on Roberts to force the Court to rule definitively. His first choice would have been to find a way to dodge the issue, his second to rule narrowly in way that said nothing but did not make him a target, and only if he were compelled to, tackle it head on. This has been his pattern--to retreat behind verbiage. That's going to be very difficult for him now. That to me, was the most significant aspect of the decision.