The Failed Coup On January 6th, 2021 Is A Distraction...

Many scholars consider a coup successful when the usurpers seize and hold power for at least seven days. These judges have a lifetime appointment.

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…the real coup, the successful one, took place on October 26th, 2020. To be clear — I do not mean this in a metaphorical sense. A judicial coup happened; I am not the only one that sees it for what it is. Just think about all of the goals the Jan. 6th coupers and alt righters (I know, the Venn diagram is a circle). Now look at the effects of this Court’s jurisprudence.

When people think about coups, they usually think about the military and physical violence. But this confuses historical circumstance with necessary and sufficient conditions. The attacking body, though clearly being in support of guns, need not wield them themselves. And who needs corporeal punishment when hermeneutic violence works even better? The pen is mightier than the sword, after all. And this Court has made a mess of the law with their nibs.

So much has happened this term that it is easy to fixate on the trees — Dobbs, Bremerton, Bruen. But a bird’s eye view of the forest fares no better. It is pretty clear that the fire is spreading. And quickly.

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This is just the start. I highly recommend that you go down 5thCircAppeals’ thread for a reminder of the rulings this Court forced upon the people this term. Hopefully it will prepare you for what’s coming — the Court will use its authority to leverage the other branches of government in the alt-right’s favor.

The next term’s case load is already promising.

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Not to be ham fisted, but the party full of people complaining about voter fraud are going to make it so they can rig elections by making sure that minority votes don’t count. This isn’t hyperbole. That’s literally what this is about. Prepare to see a lot more of this, and just in time for the 2024 election cycle.

This court has moved far beyond calling balls and strikes. We have 6 referees calling fouls on fights they’re betting on.

The Supreme Court’s Shock-and-Awe Judicial Coup [The Intercept]


Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and by tweet at @WritesForRent.