Trump has nothing but disregard for law
Our Founding Fathers created a democracy. It was, as Ben Franklin famously stated, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” A government with three equal branches: legislative, executive and judicial.
One to create the law, another to execute the law and the final to adjudicate the law. The system was designed to ensure no person or entity would be above the law. This unique form of government made America a leader of the free world. It is truly what makes America great.
The former president of the United States of America, unlike any former president, has consistently shown a disregard for the law. He fails to respect the judges and court staff responsible for applying the law and administering justice. Without any legal training whatsoever, he professes to know what the law requires and how justice should be administered in state and federal courtrooms throughout the country. His opinions are based solely on the impact to his personal and business interests. He deems any court or judge who decides against his often outrageous and unfounded claims to be ignorant, corrupt or worse.
Theodore Roosevelt called the office of the president “The Bully Pulpit,” not a “Pulpit for a Bully.” All our former presidents, except for Donald Trump, understood their duty to the people was to lead by example and show proper deference to the institutions of our democracy. They understood one may disagree with a decision without vilifying the decision maker and the system.
Imagine any other civil or criminal litigant making the slanderous and dangerous public statements that Donald Trump has made about the judges and court personnel involved in the civil and criminal cases brought against him. Anyone else would be reprimanded, chastised or found in contempt of court. Donald Trump’s unwarranted assault on the court system gives others permission to disregard and disrespect the courts in future matters. This cannot be allowed to continue.
What bears mentioning is the silence of state and local bar associations, criminal and civil trial lawyer groups, and organizations of state and federal judges in the face of this onslaught on the integrity and the significance of a free judicial branch to our system of government. Silence is complicity. Seeing wrongdoing and doing nothing is complicity. Failing to speak against it is complicity.
Our democracy requires a free and independent judiciary comprised of judges and staff who are permitted to function without attack of the kind demonstrated by Donald Trump. Those of us in the legal profession and all other Americans must stand up and demand an end to the name calling. We must demand a return to civility in our public discourse. We must demand the personal attacks on members of the court cease. We must demand that anyone who behaves like Donald Trump never again hold the highest office in the land.
Once we lose respect for the institutions of our democracy, we risk the loss of our Republic.