Conservative judge slams SCOTUS for ignoring Trump’s 'vicious attacks on federal courts'
Alex Henderson,
Alex Henderson,
AlterNet
November 2, 2025
FILE PHOTO: WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 04: U.S. President Donald Trump greets Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Jr as he arrives to deliver an address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
Like attorney George Conway, retired federal Judge J. Michael Luttig is a prominent figure in the conservative legal movement who became a blistering critic of President Donald Trump and considers him a dangerous threat to U.S. democracy.
Luttig rooted for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024, as did Conway. Now, nine and one-half months into Trump's second presidency, Luttig is still sounding the alarm.
During a Sunday morning, November 2 appearance on MSNBC, Luttig argued that because the U.S. Supreme Court is failing to discourage Trump's attacks on democracy and the rule of law, it's up to the lower federal courts to fight back.
Noting recent anti-Trump pleas from U.S. Circuit Court Judge Susan Graber and others, Luttig told host Ali Velshi, "These pleas would never have to occur if the Supreme Court of the United States had reassured America that it sits in order to prevent this kind of tyranny in the United States of America. But as you know, the Supreme Court has done anything but reassure America. That's why, for the first time to my knowledge — in all of American history — the federal judges and also the state judges now have no choice but to speak directly to the American people through their opinions, I must add, rather than speak only to the Supreme Court of the United States."
Luttig continued, "There has never been a time in our history like this, Ali, for the federal judiciary. Never before has the federal judiciary and even individual judges — individual judges of the federal courts — been savagely attacked by the president of the United States of America. His aim is clear: It's to delegitimize the federal courts in the eyes of the American people and to intimidate the federal courts into ruling in his favor."
The conservative jurist was also highly critical of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Luttig told Velshi, "But as I said…. the lower federal courts of the United States — by which I mean the federal district courts and the U.S. courts of appeals — will not be intimidated by this president and his attorney general. They will, to the person and to the court, honor their oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
When Velshi asked Luttig if he had a message for Chief Justice John Roberts and others on the High Court, he responded, "The Supreme Court and the chief justice of the United States have no higher obligation to the country or to the Constitution than to condemn the vicious attacks on the federal courts and even on individual judges of those courts."
November 2, 2025
FILE PHOTO: WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 04: U.S. President Donald Trump greets Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Jr as he arrives to deliver an address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
Like attorney George Conway, retired federal Judge J. Michael Luttig is a prominent figure in the conservative legal movement who became a blistering critic of President Donald Trump and considers him a dangerous threat to U.S. democracy.
Luttig rooted for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024, as did Conway. Now, nine and one-half months into Trump's second presidency, Luttig is still sounding the alarm.
During a Sunday morning, November 2 appearance on MSNBC, Luttig argued that because the U.S. Supreme Court is failing to discourage Trump's attacks on democracy and the rule of law, it's up to the lower federal courts to fight back.
Noting recent anti-Trump pleas from U.S. Circuit Court Judge Susan Graber and others, Luttig told host Ali Velshi, "These pleas would never have to occur if the Supreme Court of the United States had reassured America that it sits in order to prevent this kind of tyranny in the United States of America. But as you know, the Supreme Court has done anything but reassure America. That's why, for the first time to my knowledge — in all of American history — the federal judges and also the state judges now have no choice but to speak directly to the American people through their opinions, I must add, rather than speak only to the Supreme Court of the United States."
Luttig continued, "There has never been a time in our history like this, Ali, for the federal judiciary. Never before has the federal judiciary and even individual judges — individual judges of the federal courts — been savagely attacked by the president of the United States of America. His aim is clear: It's to delegitimize the federal courts in the eyes of the American people and to intimidate the federal courts into ruling in his favor."
The conservative jurist was also highly critical of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Luttig told Velshi, "But as I said…. the lower federal courts of the United States — by which I mean the federal district courts and the U.S. courts of appeals — will not be intimidated by this president and his attorney general. They will, to the person and to the court, honor their oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
When Velshi asked Luttig if he had a message for Chief Justice John Roberts and others on the High Court, he responded, "The Supreme Court and the chief justice of the United States have no higher obligation to the country or to the Constitution than to condemn the vicious attacks on the federal courts and even on individual judges of those courts."
Robert Davis
November 2, 2025
RAW STORY
Supporters wearing MAGA hats listen as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks onstage during a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona, U.S., September 21, 2025. REUTERS/Caitlin O'Hara
The Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial board issued a searing rebuke of the "political poison" metastasizing on the "new right" after one of MAGA's biggest media voices interviewed an avowed antisemite.
Last week, Tucker Carlson interviewed Nick Fuentes on Carlson's popular show on X. Throughout the interview, Fuentes made salacious and antisemitic comments about popular right-wing Jewish commentators like Josh Hammer, Mark Levin, and Ben Shapiro. He also claimed to be a fan of Joseph Stalin, who is known for murdering millions of his people and creating the mass starvation event in Ukraine known as the Holodomor.
After the interview, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts defended Carlson for interviewing Fuentes. Roberts posted a video on X claiming that "cancelling Nick Fuentes is not the answer," and the Republican voters expect them to instead focus on defeating Democrats at the ballot box.
The Wall Street Journal's editors argued in a new editorial on Sunday that Roberts' response to Carlson's interview is an example of "political poison" frowning on the "new right."
"An old political poison is growing on the new right, led by podcasters and internet opportunists who are preoccupied with the Jews," the editorial board argued. "It is spreading wider and faster than we thought."
"If conservatives—and Republicans—don’t call out this poison in their own ranks before it corrupts more young minds, the right and America are entering dangerous territory," the editorial continued.
Read the entire editorial by clicking here.
'It's brazen': Conservative columnist blasts 'dark deeds' behind Trump's 'self-dealing'
Robert Davis
November 2, 2025
Robert Davis
November 2, 2025
RAW STORY
Conservative New York Times columnist David French penned a blistering takedown of the "dark deeds" behind President Donald Trump's brazen "self-dealing" during his second stint in the White House.
In a new column, French blasted Trump for accepting a $400 million plane from a foreign government, pardoning a cryptocurrency billionaire with links to Trump's businesses, and openly calling for his political foes to be prosecuted. French argued that the efforts of GOP leaders like Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to defend the president's actions show how Trump has created a new political paradigm.
"If there is no cover-up, then there must not have been a crime," French wrote.
"If there is a word that describes the second Trump administration, it’s brazen," French continued. "While I certainly hold open the possibility that dark deeds are being done in secret, one thing that is remarkable is how open and obvious he is with his self-dealing."
French also described some of the statements made in defense of Trump's self-dealing as "remarkable." For instance, he pointed to Johnson's claim that Trump is being "transparent" about his actions as president.
"That’s a remarkable statement, and it’s assuredly not a real defense of Trump’s conduct," French wrote. "It’s as if Johnson is arguing that a bank robbery is only a crime if the assailant wears a mask. But if the robber walks in and smiles for the security cameras? Well, that’s out in the open. He’s not trying to conceal anything."
"Whether it’s by instinct or intention, Trump seems to have stumbled onto two key truths about his partisan supporters: They are desperate to rationalize, excuse and justify anything that he does, and they do not know much of anything about the law," he continued.
Read the entire column by clicking here.
Conservative New York Times columnist David French penned a blistering takedown of the "dark deeds" behind President Donald Trump's brazen "self-dealing" during his second stint in the White House.
In a new column, French blasted Trump for accepting a $400 million plane from a foreign government, pardoning a cryptocurrency billionaire with links to Trump's businesses, and openly calling for his political foes to be prosecuted. French argued that the efforts of GOP leaders like Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to defend the president's actions show how Trump has created a new political paradigm.
"If there is no cover-up, then there must not have been a crime," French wrote.
"If there is a word that describes the second Trump administration, it’s brazen," French continued. "While I certainly hold open the possibility that dark deeds are being done in secret, one thing that is remarkable is how open and obvious he is with his self-dealing."
French also described some of the statements made in defense of Trump's self-dealing as "remarkable." For instance, he pointed to Johnson's claim that Trump is being "transparent" about his actions as president.
"That’s a remarkable statement, and it’s assuredly not a real defense of Trump’s conduct," French wrote. "It’s as if Johnson is arguing that a bank robbery is only a crime if the assailant wears a mask. But if the robber walks in and smiles for the security cameras? Well, that’s out in the open. He’s not trying to conceal anything."
"Whether it’s by instinct or intention, Trump seems to have stumbled onto two key truths about his partisan supporters: They are desperate to rationalize, excuse and justify anything that he does, and they do not know much of anything about the law," he continued.
Read the entire column by clicking here.
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