NO SURPRISE, TRUMP FINDS HIS JUDGE
Trump improperly forum-shops to find a judge who will accept his absurd arguments and halt DOJ’s criminal investigation into Trump’s refusal to turn over highly sensitive documents containing government secrets.
QUICK READ: In “normal” times, Donald Trump wouldn’t withhold his presidential records from the National Archives or steal national defense secrets, leave them lying around his country club, conceal this behavior, and then lie about it when caught. Nor would he be able to shop around for a Trumpist judge who would accept that the documents might belong to him and give him “special treatment” not accorded to other common thieves. Congress must act to protect national security, prevent blatant judge-shopping, and remake the federal bench.
CONTENTS:
BACKGROUND
President Biden warned Americans last week these were not “normal” times.
The latest example is Trump’s refusal to turn over his presidential records to the National Archives, as required by the Presidential Records Act.
It took 19 months to retrieve many thousands of documents Trump stole, which included hundreds of classified documents, some labeled “Top Secret.” The FBI also discovered 90 empty folders used to transport highly sensitive documents, 71 in Trump’s office—suggesting closely guarded governmental secrets could be missing.
Weeks later, Trump improperly forum-shopped again, finding an ultraconservative, Trump-appointed judge located 67 miles away to hear his ownership claims.
Rather than referring the matter back to the original judge, she appointed Trump’s requested special master, mistakenly believing ex-presidents deserve greater justice than ordinary Americans.
Ignoring that these were government documents, not Trump’s
Improperly halting a federal criminal investigation into missing top-secret materials.
In “normal” times, no ex-President would steal national defense secrets, leave them lying around his country club, conceal this behavior, and lie when caught. Nor would he shop around for a Trumpist judge who’d give him “special treatment” not accorded other common thieves.
Congress must act to protect national security, prevent blatant judge-shopping, and remake the federal bench.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Congress cannot afford to ignore the implications of Trump’s theft of highly sensitive documents or his blatant judge-shopping after the FBI’s judicially approved search. The Intelligence Committee must immediately investigate these threats to our national security, even calling citizen Trump to testify. And, the Judiciary Committee must hold hearings to determine how best to both prevent blatant-judge shopping and remake the federal bench.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Congress cannot afford to ignore the implications of Trump’s theft of highly sensitive documents or his blatant judge-shopping after the FBI’s judicially approved search. The Intelligence Committee must immediately investigate these threats to our national security, even calling citizen Trump to testify. And, the Judiciary Committee must hold hearings to determine how best to both prevent blatant-judge shopping and remake the federal bench.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
An ex-president stealing national defense secrets and leaving them lying around his country club where anyone might find them cannot be tolerated. It is time for you to condemn this behavior loudly and clearly.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Congress cannot afford to ignore the implications of Trump’s theft of highly sensitive documents or his blatant judge-shopping after the FBI’s judicially approved search. The Intelligence Committee must immediately investigate these threats to our national security, even calling citizen Trump to testify. And, the Judiciary Committee must hold hearings to determine how best to both prevent blatant-judge shopping and remake the federal bench.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
An ex-president stealing national defense secrets and leaving them lying around his country club where anyone might find them cannot be tolerated. It is time for you to condemn this behavior loudly and clearly.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Congress cannot afford to ignore the implications of Trump’s theft of highly sensitive documents or his blatant judge-shopping after the FBI’s judicially approved search. The Intelligence Committee must immediately investigate these threats to our national security, even calling citizen Trump to testify. And, the Judiciary Committee must hold hearings to determine how best to both prevent blatant-judge shopping and remake the federal bench.
Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Congress cannot afford to ignore the implications of Trump’s theft of highly sensitive documents or his blatant judge-shopping after the FBI’s judicially approved search. The Intelligence Committee must immediately investigate these threats to our national security, even calling citizen Trump to testify. And, the Judiciary Committee must hold hearings to determine how best to both prevent blatant-judge shopping and remake the federal bench.
Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Congress cannot afford to ignore the implications of Trump’s theft of highly sensitive documents or his blatant judge-shopping after the FBI’s judicially approved search. The Intelligence Committee must immediately investigate these threats to our national security, even calling citizen Trump to testify. And, the Judiciary Committee must hold hearings to determine how best to both prevent blatant-judge shopping and remake the federal bench.
ACTION THREE: Good Trouble.
GOOD TROUBLE: Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.”
Fridays at 4 - Letter and Postcard Writing — Indivisible Oregon.
Learn about persuasive language and communication research at the Zoom ASO Movement Briefings every second Wednesday. (DELAYED THIS AUGUST. WATCH THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES.)
Join the campaign to hold the House and Senate at GiveNoGround.org
Work to protect democracy in the House by electing Democrats Val Hoyle in District 4, Jamie McLeod-Skinner in District 5, and Andrea Salinas in Oregon’s new Congressional District 6.
Check out the Poor People's Campaign Readies 'Massive, Nonviolent' Effort to Save Democracy
Outside of Portland? Check out COIN Oregon.
FURTHER READING
The Solution to the Trump Judge Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About
Trump Went Judge Shopping and It Paid Off in Mar-a-Lago Case
‘Deeply Problematic’: Experts Question Judge’s Intervention in Trump Inquiry
A Ruling Untethered to the Law
Presidential Records Act and Trump search explained
Here’s why the public owns Trump’s presidential records
Trump and the Mar-a-Lago documents: A timeline
Material on foreign nation’s nuclear capabilities seized at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago
FBI materials seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home included 90 empty folders
Trump Stole Secret Government Documents. The Big Question Is Why
Documents at Mar-a-Lago Were Moved and Hidden as U.S. Sought Them, Filing Suggests
