The Appeal Court Exchange I Wanted to Hear
Further Musings From Someone Proud to be Afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome
Counsel for Trump: “May it Please the Court….”
Appellate Justice Stern: “Now hold on there counsel; let’s get real. This Court cannot divorce itself from the reality of our nation in 2023 and more specifically, what we have before us with your client Donald John Trump.”
Counsel for Trump: “But Your Honor….”
Appellate Justice Stern: “Not another word, counsel. This Court has no interest in hearing from a lawyer who would represent Hitler in America. Yes; that is right counsel, I said it and it is time a member of our federal judiciary said what is clear; what is beyond all doubt. In 2015, your client managed to con 70 million Americans into embracing perhaps the most vile, course, vermin-like human to ever walk the face of this earth, at least since Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini.”
Counsel for Trump: “Your Honor….”
Appellate Justice Stern: “Not another word counsel, at least until I finish describing the reality that is your client. This Court will not ignore the history that is the life of your client: racism when it comes to New York housing for Black citizens; more than 500 lawsuits alleging fraud, misreprentation, deceit when it comes to contractors and subcontractors, the vast majority of which were settled by your client so he could avoid entry of judgment; the fraud and deceit that is and was Trump University and Trump Steaks; the repeated bankruptcies; public statements including that John McCain was no hero because he was caught; public statements that he had the right to grab a woman’s genitals just because; a sister who recently died but who left behind a writing that insisted that your client not speak at her funeral because she did not want her funeral to turn into a campaign speech; repeated insults of four and five star generals with impeccible service records that, if uttered in a military courtroom would have led to court martial charges against him. And then, let’s look at the parallels:
Counsel, who said the following (and I’m only slightly paraphrasing): “Nature is cruel; therefore we are also entitled to be cruel. When I send the flower of [our] youth into the steel hail of the next war without feeling the slightest regret over the precious… blood that is being spilled, should I not also have the right to eliminate millions [who] [multiply] like vermin?”
And then, counsel, who said this: "We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.”
Well, I’ll tell you: HITLER AND YOUR CLIENT.”
Counsel for Trump: But, Your Honor, there is context.”
Appellate Justice Stern: “Don’t insult my intelligence, counsel, or you’ll find yourself a resident of the Gray-Bar Hotel.” Some matters are matters of universal understanding and thus may be judicially noticed. Counsel: Your client is a crime boss, no different than John Gotti or any other historical head of any of the 5 families. His father was a crime boss and so is Donald John Trump. Furthermore, your client has used language in the same way that language was used by Huey Long, Father Coughlin, Amy Semple McPherson, Jim Jones, David Koretz. And for that matter, Pol Pot and every other autocrat and fascist who ever walked the earth. Your client has created a cult following just like the others I named. I am not going to ignore the frank reality that when your client speaks, his base listens and acts. Frankly, I wonder every day if your client has gone so far as to threaten the lives of people’s children as a way to compel loyalty. I wonder every day how many hit men your client employs in the service of his thirst for power. I fear that if the judiciary does not step in and call a halt to this madness that is Donald John Trump, sooner or later, the people of this nation will allow this madman to rip up the Constitution in favor of the nation he wants to rule. I for one am not going to sit back and watch the slow and undeniable destruction of this nation at the hands of a two bit idiot like your client.”
“Now….you may proceed.”