Justice Department Asks Judges to Block Subpoena

[jberryhill]

17. Serious answer

First off, it's not a question of "standing". The DoJ is not a party to the suit. They filed an amicus brief.

Why did they file an amicus brief? Because this is a case which tangentially involves a question (albeit a simple one) of the scope of the powers and immunities of federal official relative to a state prosecutor. One would certainly expect the DoJ to have something to say about that, regardless of whom the president may have been.

If it is as simple as "a county prosecutor can subject the President of the United States to any form of criminal process", then I'd like to hear you say, right here and right now, that you want the next President of the US to be subject to arrest and imprisonment by any prosecutor in any county in this country.

Now, on the facts at hand, the district judge pretty much nailed shut any rational way of overturning that decision. However, unlike many, I don't believe that county officials in Bumblefuck had the authority to, say, arrest President Obama, and I don't think they should be given the authority to lock up President Warren or President Biden without a good look into it by the federal court system.

This is the process by which the limits and circumstances of power are defined in our system.