Wednesday, January 10, 2024

We're About to be Able to Measure the Corruption in Our Justice System

It's become pretty clear that the expectation of the former failed President of the United States, when appointing judges to the federal bench, was expecting that they would eventually do him favors, if and when the time came that he needed their help.  It remains to be seen how many of those he appointed plan to return the favor, or how many of them will uphold the law and rule according to that perspective.  

We're about to find out just how corrupt our justice system became as a result of his influence and his appointments. 

Few things in politics fit the definition of corruption better than an attitude of "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine."  Expecting special treatment that places one above the law by a politician who appoints a judge is corruption by its dictionary definition.  It's unfortunate that lawyers in this country do not have a good reputation, and, in fact, in opinion polls and surveys, lawyers come out just a little better than conservative clergy do when it comes to ranking their integrity as a profession.  And from that profession, with a reputation for lacking in integrity, come the judges who sit on the bench and whose rulings affect our lives for decades after their decisions are made.  

Trump has openly stated on more than one occasion that he is banking on his judicial appointments to get him out of the legal trouble that he now faces.  He lacks any awareness of integrity and expects that those whom he helped will now help him.  He's made it clear, as he files for appeals out of desperation to derail trials that inevitably will lead to convictions and prison time, that he expects the help of those he helped get their current jobs, at the expense of the law.  He's getting some help so far, if not in outright ignoring the law, at least in conforming to the calendar he wants.  

As his flailing appeals approach the Supreme Court, will the justices have the integrity to apply the Constitution and the rule of law fairly?  Or will those whom he had the opportunity to appoint work toward either helping him by making it more difficult for the prosecution to proceed, or delaying tactics, or outright rulings which skew the intent of the law in his favor to the point where it becomes meaningless?  

In other matters, there are judges in the federal system whom Trump appointed to the bench, who have not followed the intent of the law in their rulings, but have clearly showed that they lack integrity.  In terms of accepting expensive gifts for their own benefit, we've clearly seen that.  In terms of their lack of objectivity in presidential elective campaigns, we've seen that.  And I fully expect the same thing to happen to any case he brings before the court.  

Such is the problem with a court that does not have any accountability to its constituents.  

Keep an eye on it.  We, the people, don't really have any recourse for a court that decides to do this instead of following constitutional law except going to the polls and replacing any politician who supports such a court.

No comments:

Post a Comment