QOTD -- "A Gross Usurpation Of Power"

 

"... The President second-guessed the judgment of Congress and President Reagan in creating USIP 40 years ago, and the judgment of every Congress since then, including in 2024,in appropriating funds to USIP, when he deemed this organization to be “unnecessary” three months ago in EO 14217. The President and his subordinates then used brute force and threats of criminal process to take over USIP’s headquarters, despite being cautioned that this organization did not fall within the Executive branch and its leadership was not subject to the President’s unilateral Executive branch removal power. This Administration then went even further, taking severe actions to dissemble USIP, including terminating its appointed Board members, its expert management, its dedicated staff and contractors located in both Washington, D.C. and around the world, and dispersing its assets and headquarters building. These actions against USIP were unlawful.  [snip]

"The Constitution makes clear that the President’s constitutional authority only extends as far as Article II, but even Article II does not grant him absolute removal authority over his subordinates, under current binding case law precedent. Outside of Article II, he has little constitutional authority to act at all. The President’s efforts here to take over an organization outside of those bounds, contrary to statute established by Congress and by acts of force and threat using local and federal law enforcement officers, represented a gross usurpation of power and a way of conducting government affairs that unnecessarily traumatized the committed leadership and employees of USIP, who deserved better." --  U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, concluding her opinion in United States Institute of Peace, et al. v Kenneth Jackson, in his official capacity, et al.   The Malignant Fascist and his equally incompetent and lawless co-President Elon "Leon" Musk unlawfully chainsawed the USIP earlier this year, doubtless triggered by the Institute's mission "to promote international peace and conflict resolution by strengthening the nation's capacity to prevent, mitigate, and help resolve international conflicts without violence."  Who needs them when you've got a genius deal- maker like the Malignant Fascist, amirite?!  The fact that the Institute was created by former Republican cult leader Ronnie "Peace Through Strength" Raygun was a point noted several times by Judge Howell in her opinion, a barbed commentary perhaps on how much lower his cult/ party has sunk.