I’m not going to pay that ticket. I’m not going to jail. I think you’re wrong and I don’t care what the jury said. I’m above it all.
Sounds like a child ranting doesn’t it.
Now imagine walking into court and telling the judge that his ruling doesn’t apply to you. That because he’s a Republican and you’re a Democrat — or vice versa — you’ve decided the judgment is political and therefore optional.
At that point a marshal would be escorting you to a holding cell before you finished the sentence.
This isn’t hypothetical anymore.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin recently suggested that ICE would evaluate court rulings and decide whether they’re “political” before following them. If the administration believes it can pick and choose which court orders to obey based on perceived bias — why should average Americans be held to a different standard?
This is about you and me.
After losing the E. Jean Carroll case the President ignored the court’s rulings and showed open contempt for the judiciary. He uses the Department of Justice for his personal civil suits. After losing judgments he simply doesn’t pay them.
If the law doesn’t apply equally where is the accountability? Where is the enforcement?
The point isn’t about the merits of any specific case. Appeals exist for everyone. Open contempt and selective obedience do not. Those are not legal strategies — they are the behavior of someone who has decided the rules apply to other people.
So here is the question that deserves a straight answer.
If he can do it why can’t we?
If ICE doesn’t have to follow court orders why do we? If the President doesn’t have to pay judgments why do we? If the administration can ignore rulings that don’t fit their narrative what exactly is the authority of the court?
Are fines optional?
Are licenses optional?
Are judgments optional — depending on whether you agree with the judge?
We are all allowed to disagree with a court ruling. We are all allowed to appeal. What we are not all allowed to do — what only some of us apparently get to do — is simply refuse to comply.
There should be consequences for ignoring court orders. For everyone. Regardless of title or office or the size of the building they work in.
I have this speeding ticket I’ve been thinking about. Pretty sure the officer was politically motivated. I’m going to evaluate whether his authority applies to me before I decide whether to pay it.
If the rule of law applies to ordinary citizens it applies to everyone.
