The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Verdict

Daily Action
Written By Barbara Isaacman

QUICK READ: GOP candidate and convicted felon Donald Trump was found guilty 34 times by a jury of his peers. The trial was about election fraud and denying American voters relevant information just before the 2016 election—not about hush money and adultery. MAGA Republicans responded to the verdict by denigrating the justice system in a reckless and dangerous anti-constitutional display that we must refute collectively, loudly, and repeatedly.



CONTENTS:

BACKGROUND

The Good: 

·      Donald Trump, now a convicted felon, was found guilty by a jury, accepted by both lawyers, which included a Truth Social devotee.

The Bad: 

·      Many Americans are unaware the case was about improperly withholding information to affect an election—because Trump feared evidence of his adultery, expected to surface just days after the Access Hollywood tape’s release, which had already damaged his electability, might well have caused him to lose the 2016 election. 

·      We’ve never nominated a convicted felon for president and, per John Bolton, Trump’s former National Security Advisor, “we shouldn’t start now.”

The Ugly: 

·      House Speaker Johnson and many other MAGA Republicans have rushed to Trump’s aid, labeling the legal process and verdict “rigged,” “corrupt,” “a kangaroo court,” a “zombie case” brought by a “highly conflicted judge,” and a political sham—trumpeting Trump’s grievances the judge’s gag order prevented him from claiming. This “massive and concerted attempt to delegitimize and discredit our elections and judiciary,” per historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, is a classic authoritarian move, “converting rule of law into rule by the lawless.”

To counteract these MAGA legislators’ disrespect for the justice system, jurors, judges, prosecutors and witnesses, which violates their oath of office, our members of Congress, and all of us, must reaffirm the rule of law and decry the profound violation of the separation of powers Speaker Johnson, the 3rd most powerful US politician, demonstrated when he called for SCOTUS to overturn the verdict.

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].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

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].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

Script for Republican Senators

D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

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].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

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].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

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].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

Script for Val Hoyle (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].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

SCRIPT FOR LORI CHAVEZ-DEREMER (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].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

Script for Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

Salem office: 503-385-0906 | DC office: 202-225-5643

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

As your constituent, I demand that you speak out about the normal operation of the judicial system in which a jury of ordinary Americans, accepted by both lawyers, determined beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the evidence they heard, that Donald Trump was guilty of the 34 charged offenses, explain why and how Trump actually committed election fraud, and roundly reject MAGA Republicans’ unthinking embrace of Trump that denigrates the US justice system and is a complete abandonment of their constitutional obligations. This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of defending our Constitution, the separation of powers, and our democracy itself from an autocratic takeover.

ACTION THREE: Good Trouble.

Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.”

  • PARTICIPATE IN LETTER WRITING AND CANVASSING WITH INDIVISIBLE OREGON. RSVP here.

  • ATTEND FRIDAY’S AT 4 AND MORE - ONLINE LETTERS AND POSTCARD WRITING  EVERY FRIDAY - RSVP Here

  • FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE SUPREME COURT ABOUT BOTH JUSTICES’ CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND BLATANT DISREGARD FOR THE RULE OF LAW. To download the complaint and the instructions for filling it out, click here.

FURTHER READING

Barbara Isaacman
Previous

HOW MANY SCANDALS CAN ONE SUPREME COURT CREATE?
Next

CORRUPT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES MUST RECUSE FROM JAN. 6 CASES