Below is my column in The Hill on the growing distemper on the left after the loss of both houses and the White House in this election. In Pennsylvania, the politics of despair has stripped away all principle and pretense. There is a concerted effort to reelect Sen. Bob Casey by any means necessary. Even the Washington Post is now criticizing the effort.
Here is the column:
“People violate laws any time they want.”
Those words, shrugging off an alleged unlawful move last week, did not come from some Chicago gangbanger or Washington car thief. Those words of wisdom came from Democrat Commissioner Diane Marseglia in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
They came in response to the fact that the Democratic majority on the election commission had decided to ignore a binding state Supreme Court ruling in an attempt to engineer the election of Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.).
Rather than prompting a degree of introspection, the loss of both houses of Congress and the White House has had a curious effect on many Democrats, dropping any pretense of protecting democracy over partisanship.
Despite polls showing that the public trusted former president Donald Trump more than Vice President Harris in combatting threats to democracy, Democrats made “saving democracy” the thrust of this election.
The polls reflected a certain common sense of the public when harangued with predictions from President Biden, Harris and a host of politicians and pundits that this would likely be our last election. Few believed that after over two centuries as the most stable and successful democracy in history, all three branches would collapse in unison and embrace dictatorship. Even fewer believed the predictions of the rounding up of homosexuals, journalists and political critics for camps in what some described as an American Third Reich.
American voters are not chumps and what they saw were strikingly anti-democratic positions from those claiming to be the defenders of democracy, including:
• Seeking to strip Trump from ballots under an unfounded theory rejected unanimously by the Supreme Court.
• Fighting to block opponents of Biden from ballots in the primary and general elections.
• Suing to keep Robert F. Kennedy on ballots after his withdrawal in swing states, in order to confuse voters and reduce the vote for Trump.
• Calling for blocking dozens of incumbent GOP officials and legislators from ballots as “insurrectionists.”
• “Protecting democracy” through the most extensive censorship in history and the blacklisting of opponents.
• Engaging in open and raw lawfare in the prosecutions of Trump in places like New York.
Each of these efforts ultimately failed to stop Trump and was opposed by a majority of voters even before the election. So now, Democrats are dropping the pretense for open partisanship.
That was evident in Bucks County, when a motion arose to reject a challenge to count provisional ballots, including undated or invalidly dated mail ballots.
It should have been easy. To its credit, the majority-Democratic Pennsylvania Supreme Court had already refused a Democratic push to change the rules shortly before the election and to ignore the plain language of the election laws.
In ordering the rejection of ballots without dates, Justice Kevin Doughtery (joined by Chief Justice Debra Todd) wrote a concurrence declaring “This Court will neither impose nor countenance substantial alterations to existing laws and procedures during the pendency of an ongoing election.’ We said those carefully chosen words only weeks ago. Yet they apparently were not heard in the Commonwealth Court, the very court where the bulk of election litigation unfolds.”
It is apparently still not being heard. In the Bucks County hearing, Marseglia spoke as she and Democratic Board chairman Robert Harvie, Jr., dismissed the earlier rulings in order to accept ballots without required signatures or mandatory dates. She declared that she would not second the motion to enforce the rulings “mostly because I think we all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country and people violate laws any time they want. So, for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it.”
That was a lot of words to say that she does not really seem to care if this is lawful. For his part, Casey has shown the same abandon as he clings to his Senate seat at any cost.
That cost, in this case, was an alliance with Marc Elias, the controversial Democratic lawyer at the center of the infamous Steele Dossier scandal. Elias has been sanctioned in court and criticized for his work to flip elections. He is known for baselessly blaming voting machine errors for electing Republicans and pushing gerrymandering plans rejected by the courts as anti-democratic.
Casey is unlikely to change the result without counting defective or challenged ballots. Fortunately, law and precedent “does matter in this country.” There are still officials who can transcend their political preferences to maintain the rule of law. After the last presidential election, many Trump appointees ruled against the former president, and many Democratic judges rejected the effort to strip Trump from ballots.
That does not mean that Democrats who value the weaponization of law will not continue to embrace lawfare warriors like New York Attorney General Letitia James (D).
Others will use the rage of these times as a license to ignore legal and ethical obligations altogether. They are arguably the saddest manifestation of our political discord. They are people who have not just lost faith in our system but in themselves. They have become untethered from any defining principle for their own conduct. This election has left them adrift in a sea of moral and legal relativism, with only their rage as a following wind. They cling to that rage as reason vanishes like a distant shore.
For the rest of us, there is work to be done as a nation committed to the rule of law. We cannot win at any cost when that cost is the very thing that defines us.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
With election judges like these, who needs the mafia?
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/minnesota-election-judge-charges/2024/11/17/id/1188405/
An “election judge” is not a real judge, or even an ALJ. It’s just a fancy term for poll worker.
I don’t think anybody is really surprised at this action. The histrionics of this demented party was most apparent through out the election. The Democratic Party has been moving toward or has already achieved the example of an oligarchy both in its inner workings as well as when it has control of the government. In 2008 it was the “superdelegates” that wrested the party from the Clintons and gave it over to the Obamas and it has continued in that regard ever since. 2016 and the party was passed on to Hilary by fiat and Biden was ignored and shoved aside and yet she lost and then in 2020 the party aligned it’s primaries so that Biden would get a big win after being so abysmal early, then in 2024 cleared the field in the primaries so the demented demigod could sail through without any legitimate questions or challenge and then summarily pushed aside again *after failing the coherent speaking test” and replaced by fiat again by the same oligarchs..
Is it any wonder that they now ignore court orders. Who do they think they are? Andrew Jackson (also a democrat) who ignored the Supreme Court ruling against him in the Indian Removal Act?
I think the ground troops of democrats need some remedial civics courses where they are taught electoral commissions don’t get to overrule the State Supreme Court. This is not the 1820’s or the Napoleonic Code and none of them look like Andrew Jackson.
Of course now might be the time to put miscreant electoral commissioners in a detention camp where they are taught the Declaration of Independence, The Consitution of the US, The constitution of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth, Judicial review, Simple things that any mid grade school child would understand . And this is the party of education and high information?
What they’re shoveling is very steamy and downright unpleasant to smell.
Where is the God-like figure, Governor Josh Shapiro, in this obvious attempt by his Democrat party to openly engage in election fraud? He has said nothing, not a word. My home state of PA continues to embarrass . Shapiro’s silence is shameful. His failure to even issue a statement proves he is not, in fact, a would be savior of Harris’s run, had he been chosen as her VP. No, he’s nothing more than just another political hack, dedicated to “the end justifies the means.”
Andrew Jackson never ignored any Supreme Court ruling against him. It’s a myth, whether told by his admirers or his opponents.
Trump needs to teach a lesson the establishment will never forget – that persecuting your political opponents under the color of law will never be tolerated.
https://shorturl.at/7QUjA
If that is the attitude towards elections, there is no reason for any trust in the elections. The likely response would be chaos and rioting and justifiably so.
If a Republican commissioner had done this they would already be in jail.
And here we go… Your promised October surprise was evidently just deferred until post-election November. Are the Dims just trying to make absolutely certain they successfully sabotage Trump’s presidency, or might they actually have hopes of justifying some kind of war-time (WWIII, that is) marshal law environment negating succession of authority? I don’t know what, if anything, Trump can do to counter this, but in his shoes, I might be tempted to call Zelinskyy and tell him in no uncertain terms that if he does use our missiles to attack Kursk, there will be absolutely zero additional US aid for Ukrainian offense, defense, or rebuilding subsequent to January 6.
In “Major Policy Shift” Biden Authorizes Ukraine’s Use Of US Missiles To Hit Targets Inside Russia
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/major-policy-shift-biden-authorizes-ukraines-use-us-missiles-hit-targets-inside-russia
If you think my post is off-topic, I disagree. Professor Turley seemed to be trying to illustrate that there is no repugnant moral or ethical sludge too low or deep for Democrats to eagerly stoop to, or crawl into, so long as they sense a chance to maintain or increase their power. This is just another example, even if redundant.
A follow-up thought occurred to me after posting that. Speculation has been mage that Biden’s self-satisfied attitude since Trump was elected was attributable to his pleasure that Harris did not succeed at Biden’s expense. I think a plausible alternative explanation is that the sleazy buzturd was anticipating this planned move (and doubtlessly others as well) that would seriously impair Trump’s prospects for success.
Dems are amoral.
“Dems are amoral.”
“Amoral” would mean that they are unaware of the correct moral choice. For the most part, they are well aware of what they *should* do, they just refuse to do it if it would negatively impact the power that they are able to wield. The appropriate word is “immoral”. To me, that is similar to the difference between involuntary manslaughter, and premeditated murder. Could we somehow create an analogous range of punishments for their behavior?
Why have these people not been arrested for voting fraud or related violations? And they are doing it without so much shame, remorse or self-awareness.
We are told it takes a village. Are the Democrats the village idiot?
“Are the Democrats the village idiot?”
No. They are the village thug.
“I am much more temperate in my reaction than…”
Was that thunder, I just heard?
“. . . if I violate this law . . .”
The party that makes up “law” to kneecap the opposition, now openly flouts the law to install its politicians.
Remind me, again, which party is the “threat to democracy.” And which party is driven by power-lusters.
As an aside: “. . . *precedent by a court* doesn’t matter anymore . . .” (emphasis added)
Anybody have any idea what on earth she’s talking about? Hers is not a court proceeding. And she is not a judge.
As for the precedent she refuses to follow, she’s referring to the PA Supreme Court precedent that undated and incorrectly dated ballots can’t be counted under PA law.
As for the precedent she is referring to when she says “everyone knows it doesn’t matter anymore,” who knows? Since she’s a Dem it could be Roe v Wade.
Re:”Since she’s a Dem it could be Roe v Wade.” IMHO that’s PRECISELY what she’s referencing in a veiled fashion. You screwed us on Roe, and I’m going to screw you on this.
Remember the immortal words of Susan Wild (D-PA): Do what you know is “right” and let the law catch up to you.
Anyone surprised? Not me. Totally predictable behavior.
We’re acting like this is the first time the democrats ignored the law. No longer does the democrat party of old exist. I’ll bet Nancy and Chuck will soon be required to seek a retirement village.
Make America Sex Abusers
MASA
Yep, the prez to be is a sexual predator, the Proposed AG is a sex abuser, the proposed Sec Def is an alleged sexual abuser. Perhaps that was a requirement to be in the inner circle of trump?
and how about Gabbord? Imagine that a Russian stooge as the director of Inteligence of the U.S. Government. Who woulda though?
Your comments about Tulsi Gabbard show you to be a garbage person. GFY
I recommend you seek help with your delusions, Anon. Your linguistic skills could use some attention as well.
Wow, just wow. I think you need to lay off the coolaid.
Trying to het out in front of the Epstein and Diddy lists? tic-toc tic-toc
Your scumbag dems are F’ed, from human sex trafficking to pedophilia to rape = the dems rule. Oh, and the fact you think that Jean Carroll (w/e) trial will be standing in a few years – lololol.
Completely FALSE…Totally false statements and character assignations which is a leftist specialty…
Yep, the prez to be is a sexual predator, the Proposed AG is a sex abuser, the proposed Sec Def is an alleged sexual abuser.
Is that you President Daddy-Daughter Inappropriate Incest Showers? Maybe White House BJ Clinton?
Or Obama, who had the serial pedophile and rapist Harvey Weinstein as his Rasputin, a semi-permanent resident with his daughters in the White House for eight years?
These Anonymous Marxist Useful Idiots voted for all of that… and then cosplay that allegations and rigged New York trials leave them offended at sexual abuse.
Which is why these cowards post Anonymously; afraid to own their voting record as well as their posts.
Do you have actual evidence of any of these claims ?
The investigation of Gaetz did not lead o charges – the presumption is that he is innocent.
There is not even an investigation fo the Sec Def.
Hillary was colluding with Russians – not Gabbard or Trump. Hillary is guilty of defamation.
I would further note that Clinton’s baseless claims have no foundation in reality.
E Jean Carrol has made a claim about something that happened 25 years ago – give or take several years.
She can not get any details right and can not make up here own mind as to whether it was consensual.
And, a NYC jury with a politically corrupt judge rejected the most outlandish claims with the Judge then pretending the jury reached a different verfict.
All this after NYS removed the statue of limitations – temporaily.
We have SOL’s for these types of cases – when the alleged victim can not even clearly state what occured and when – the case must be thrown out
In part because they are not credible.
In part because defendants are denied the ability to defend themselves.
I would bet that Trump can prove he was somewhere else – if Carrol ever committs to a date and time.
But it is not possible to disprove Carrols claim when there are no specifics.
@Anonymous MASA – and what do you call Mika and Joe, I think they put patches on their knees this weekend.
Everyone one of the Buck county commissioners should be jailed for voter fraud. Who is going to prosecute them? They defied the PA supreme court. Counting ballots. received after Election Day, must come to an end. That’s where they all of sudden find the vote to beat the republicans who were winning.
Mr. Turley. The United States of America is not a democracy, never has been, and was never intended to be. The word “democracy” is never mentioned in the Constitution and for good reason. The Federalist Papers lay out the reasons. We are a republic. Every major feature of our Constitution is a bulwark against democracy: the electoral college, Supreme Court (in fact, all courts), the Senate, the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments are restrictions on majority rule. Add to that the myriad roadblocks imposed by the House and Senate to get legislation passed and the powers reserved to the States to thwart federal power and you see that the prevention of a true democracy is the purpose of our existence.
“and the powers reserved to the States to thwart federal power ”
and the powers reserved to the States AND THE PEOPLE to thwart federal power
Great comment, imo just needed a small tweak
Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro of PA, the widely praised and assumed first pick of Harris as her VP, has not said a word, has issued no statement, in the face of this blatant Democrat fraud.
His silence is shameful and unforgivable. Remember this failure when we see him playing alter boy in the future on the national stage.
The founders routinely referred to the USA as a republic AND as a democracy. The modern attempt to separate the two is illegitimate.
How has Elias not faced disciplinary action in his state bar?
And now, if the GOP takes action against those PA commissioners, the D’s will decry lawfare.
It was never about saving small d democracy, it was about saving the large D Democrat Party
whig98 says: How has Elias not faced disciplinary action in his state bar?
The endless rhetorical question. The same reason both of Obama’s Attorney Generals, FBI Directors James Comey and Andrew McCabe and former Director Robert Mueller, etc have not faced disciplinary action from the bar nor criminal indictment for perjuring themselves to FISA courts while uttering false documents to those courts.
They are doing God’s work on behalf of the Soviet Democrats to keep Trump out of the Oval Office.
It’s not the words that matter; it’s what they do. And this is how they do “protect our democracy from The Evil Trump”.
Why is the Buck’s County election commission even a thing after admitting they are violating the ruling from the court?
Until 100’s of people go to jail for the Russian Hoax…the USA remains Lawless!
Fascist Democrats hate America
Trump has to stop playing nice with Democrats. Install who he wants and CLEAN HOUSE
We need to jail the criminal democrats…judges, congress, DOJ, FBI, CIA, etc and SHOW their 1000’s of crimes. Save America