Former federal judge J. Michael Luttig condemned former President Trump’s attacks on judges in the case, arguing that nothing will change because those in power aren’t actually “dealing with it.”
“From the moment a former president first launched vicious attacks on federal courts, state courts and individual judges, his goal was to protect those courts,” Ruttig said Friday on MSNBC’s “Deadline White.” “We need to understand that it was outlawed.” House. “
“So when they rule against him on the various issues that he is accused of, and if that verdict is given, at least a large portion of his followers, if not a large portion of the population, will dismiss those judgments against him as politically inspired and motivated.” he continued.
Ruttig added, “He is the only one at this point who is claiming that these institutions are no longer legitimate. But…many of his supporters still believe that today.”
His comments come just days after the judge overseeing Trump’s hush-money lawsuit over payments he made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016 in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair, issued a gag order against him. It came out. The former president, who is also a potential Republican nominee for the White House, slammed Judge Juan Machan and his daughter for this.
The order prohibits him from publicly attacking witnesses, jurors or others during what is scheduled to be the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president. But while it did not apply directly to judges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg argued Friday that it should.
“A judge’s daughter is allowed to post a photo of her ‘dream’ of putting me in jail, a prosecutor in Manhattan can tell any lie he wants about me, and a judge is allowed to follow our country’s laws at every turn. and violate the Constitution, but I’m not “to talk about attacks against me and lunatics who are trying to destroy my life and prevent me from winning the 2024 presidential election, which is my favorite.” Are you allowed to? ” Trump wrote in Truth Social on Wednesday.
The former president also called a third gag order imposed in his case “illegal, un-American” and “unconstitutional,” and characterized Marchan as politically biased.
Luttig said Friday that President Trump’s constant tirades against the Biden administration and judges have likely convinced others that the system is failing, calling it a “tragedy.” I repeated that thought.
“And they will vote for Donald Trump in November based on our policies.
Institutions of law and democracy are no longer functional. That’s the tragedy,” he told host Nicole Wallace, echoing his own comments. Created with a thread in X, formerly known as Twitter. “That’s the tragedy facing this country. Now.”
“We have tolerated this until now,” he added. “Connivance means that no one in a responsible position to address this issue did so.”
Asked if he likened Trump’s actions to a “mob” mentality, Luttig suggested the former president’s comments were even worse.
“Make no mistake, gang members can never pose the threat that President Donald Trump poses to American democracy and the rule of law,” the former judge said. “It’s the fact that he’s the president of the United States and that he’s currently trying to delegitimize American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law.”
“That’s the existential threat facing America today,” he added.
He also praised sitting judge Reggie Walton for appearing on television to defend the rule of law and warn against tyranny, saying it took “great courage” to do so.
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