'Ballsy Move': Experts Praise Special Counsel for Not Playing Trump's Stupid Reindeer Games

[babylonsister]

‘Ballsy Move’: Experts Praise Special Counsel for Not Playing Trump’s Stupid Reindeer Games
by David Badash | December 12, 2023 - 8:26am
— from The New Civil Rights Movement


Legal experts are applauding Special Counsel Jack Smith’s move to “leapfrog” a Trump effort to delay his D.C. case by claiming he has immunity from prosecution and appealing the decisions by asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on that major question.

snip//

On Monday the Special Counsel appeared to have short-ciircuited Trump’s delay tactic by asking the Supreme Court to rule on this question: “Whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he has been impeached but not convicted before the criminal proceedings begin.”

“It is hard for Trump to logically object to Smith’s request today for expedited Supreme Ct review since it is Trump who is claiming he [should] not be subject to the indictment at all,” writes former FBI general counsel Andrew Weissmann, a popular MSNBC legal analyst. “Expedited review only helps alleviate that harm, if he is correct (which he is not).”

Weissmann adds, “Note newest Smith team member: the storied appellate lawyer Michael Dreeben. Argued over 100 cases in Supreme Court, and was head appellate lawyer on SC Mueller team.”

“This is a really ballsy move,” declared former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Asst. Attorney General Harry Litman. “And who is Michael Dreeben? He plays a similar role in Mueller investigation but he was a very long time Deputy Solicitor General and probably the most respected Supreme Court advocate on criminal issues in the Dept.”

more...

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/david-badash/108737/ballsy-move-experts-praise-special-counsel-for-not-playing-trump-s-stupid-reindeer-games

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Narcissists wear you down in every way

And that's what Trump is trying to do to the justice system. Fracture, pummel, discombobulate every nuance of law. Time for rule of law to play hardball.

[Walleye]

2. Just like Putin is trying to do to us with the Ukraine. They're both alike,they're the same person practically

[Irish_Dem]

28. Narcissistic and ruthless sociopaths.

They will do anything and everything to win.
Including burning it all down in revenge if they can't win.

[redqueen]

3. Agree it was brave. Wish I knew why any thoughtful person would still use "ballsy".

Patriarchy isn't going out without a fight.

[North Shore Chicago]

4. And a fight they shall have!

[Envirogal]

8. Ballsy is a great word

I am female and use it. Just like “no balls no baby”. Come up with a good saying for clitoris, and I will use that where appropriate.

[redqueen]

20. Lots of women support and reinforce patriarchal BS

Doesn't change the fact that it's patriarchal bullshit.

Might want to take some time and consider why you think it's fine to reinforce the idea that male sex organs are used to mean brave and strong, and female ones are used to mean weak and cowardly.

[Irish_Dem]

29. This is not true. Women have "heart" which is a very good thing.

[redqueen]

33. Hearts aren't sex-specific nt

[BannonsLiver]

23. The fun popo have spoken.

[Irish_Dem]

30. Yes using human anatomy to describe feelings/behavior goes back a very long time.

I don't have the stomach to do it.
She has so much heart.
He has no brains.
Etc.

[sybylla]

34. Toxic masculinity is never appropriate.

Neither is misogyny.

[BannonsLiver]

18. Right on cue

🙄

[redqueen]

19. Yes, right on cue, any pushback against sexism gets a whiny response.

But then a hit dog always hollers.

[BannonsLiver]

22. Don't you also castigate people for making fun of Trump's orange hue?

As if someone with Carotenemia might wander onto the site and be offended.

[redqueen]

32. No, I don't. You're confused. nt

[BannonsLiver]

38. No, that happened. Same deal for Trump's weight too.

And very upset over people mocking Bimbo Kimbo (Guiyfoyle) as well.

[redqueen]

39. Nope, you're confused. Please share a link and prove me wrong.

When I complain about insulting right wing people's weight it's because there are overweight people who are good people.

When I complain about people insulting right wing women by comparing them to a sex worker it's because there are sex workers who are good people.

It's about not reinforcing prejudice.

It's really not that complicated.

[whopis01]

25. It is more of a smart move than a brave move

There is no doubt that it would end up in front of the Supreme Court at sometime. Smith’s move merely pushes up the timetable and takes away opportunities for delay on Trump’s part.

I would argue that the use of “ballsy” is not appropriate in multiple ways. First and foremost for the point that you made. Secondly because it doesn’t accurately describe the situation even if you look past the sexist connotations.

[democrank]

5. Special Council Jack Smith

has his race car up to 100 mph while the Cult Master is still fumbling for his golf cart keys.

[republianmushroom]

6. I like it and I'm not an expert.

34 months and counting

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. 53 months and counting

[Initech]

9. Good! I'm sick and tired of the right wing getting everything they want handed to them on a silver platter.

It's about time they were taken down several pegs.

[Pluvious]

10. "Donald Trump Rages at Supreme Court Granting Jack Smith's Wish" -Newsweek

#WompWomp

[NoMoreRepugs]

11. American justice moves at glacial speed - just hang in there people.

[Martin68]

12. I wouldn't call it "ballsy" as much as "smart." It's not ballsy, because it would end up in the Supreme Court

anyway, after numerous long delays along the way. Taking it directly to the Supreme Court greatly speeds up the process, which is to the Justice Dept advantage and Trump’s disadvantage.

[moreland01]

14. Right?!? Why is it "ballsey"?

Ballsey makes it sound like he's taking some sort of risk going straight to the SCOTUS.
It's tactical. It's smart. It's forward thinking. He's doing the people's work in the absolute best way.

[Irish_Dem]

31. Smith called Trump's bluff, which usually means a gutsy move.

[Martin68]

35. Trump's bluff was stupid, Smith' move was smart. In fact, the move was so obviously the best thing to do, it

wouldn’t take any guts at all to do it.

[Irish_Dem]

36. Let's be honest, anybody in the criminal justice system who stands up to trump has guts.

Most of them are terrified of Trump.

[Martin68]

37. I think that's more true of Republican Congresspeople than employees of the Justice Department. If

Smith gets a conviction, which is his goal, Trump will have been defanged.

[Irish_Dem]

40. Smith has to keep pushing the judge to do the right thing.

And now pushing the SC to do the right thing.

Smith is a force of nature against a timid judiciary.

[intheflow]

13. I would worry more about the sitting SCOTUS

in this case, but think Judge Chutkan’s highly publicized comment reiterating that the US government recognizes no “divine rights of kings” has set the tone for TFG’s legal proceedings going forward. Roberts, wanting to save his legacy, will lobby fellow conservatives hard against giving Trump immunity. He’ll persuade Beer Boy as BB has a weak mind and no actual convictions. The Handmaid’s a toss-up, her Catholicism might lead her to accept the Divine Rights of Kings. But she’s also young, with a lifetime appointment ahead of her, and she’s witnessing firsthand severe cultural backlash to what seemed like Conservative no-brainers before and during the Trump presidency. My guess is she will want a better legacy than upholding a dictator while on the SCOTUS.

[flying_wahini]

16. Your assumption re: The Handmaid is spot on.

She has a lifetime appt and her reputation has already gotten a black eye over Abortion rights.
I think she is more concerned with her reputation than some of the others.
and we all know who they are.

[intheflow]

21. I've got to believe the other women

on the court have talked with her about her legacy, and responsibility as a woman on the bench.

[Martin68]

17. The case will reach the "sitting SCOTUS" anyway no matter what. Might as well go directly to them and move it along.

Why waste time in the lower courts? That’s what Trump wants.

[Ford_Prefect]

15. A word to the Orange Menace, be afraid, be very afraid. The professionals are coming and they play genuine hardball.

[Skittles]

24. male body parts are not needed for courage

especially *THE* most delicate body part

[ProudMNDemocrat]

26. As a woman, I take no issue with the term, "ballsy".

Gutsy, Cajones, Smarts, are words that describe the same situation.

If semantics is the issue here, I am sure there are more words in Webster's Dictionary that are similar in definition for the move Jack Smith took.

[dalton99a]

27. Kick