Former Clinton operative George Stephanopoulos was usually combative with Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) during his interview on ABC News’ This Week on Sunday. The Ohio Republican was asked about Supreme Court rulings and whether it would be healthy for our country for presidents to defy the Supreme Court. Vance also said that Trump should fire disobedient government workers—all of this was based on what Vance said during a 2021 podcast:
I think that what Trump should do, like if I was giving him one piece of advice, fire every single mid-level bureaucrat, every civil servant in the administrative state, replace them with our people. And when the courts – because you will get taken to court – and then when the courts stop you, stand before the country, like Andrew Jackson did, and say the chief justice has made his ruling, now let him enforce it…
Stephanopoulos was aghast at culling government staffers and then supposedly defying the highest court, but that’s not what Vance was talking about. The senator mentioned how the Defense bureaucracy forced Trump away from his plan to redeploy troops in Jordan and Syria after he bombed ISIS into the Stone Age. These forces are now in a shooting gallery against attacks from Iran-backed militias. Vance’s point was simple: people are dying due to bad policy dictated by unelected bureaucrats who defied the authority of the people they are subservient to.
“That's a fundamental component of our government, George, that whoever is in charge, agree or disagree with them, you have to follow the rules. If those people aren't following the rules, then, of course, you've got to fire them," Vance added.
But it’s when the discussion veered into a soft academic discussion about atrocious Supreme Court rulings that Stephanopoulos cut off Vance’s mic (via Fox News) [emphasis mine]:
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Explosive Moment: Angry ABC's George Stephanopoulos Hits Breaking Point with Republican JD Vance, Abruptly Cuts His Microphone Off! WATCHpic.twitter.com/VPEuDWDOLD
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) February 5, 2024
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, was shut down by ABC News "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday after suggesting that former President Trump could defy "illegitimate" Supreme Court rulings.
"The Constitution says that the Supreme Court can make rulings, but if the Supreme Court ― and look, I hope that they would not do this ― but if the Supreme Court said the president of the United States can’t fire a general, that would be an illegitimate ruling and the president has to have Article 2 prerogative under the Constitution to actually run the military as he sees fit," Vance said.
"This is just basic constitutional legitimacy. You're talking about a hypothetical where the Supreme Court tries to run the military. I don't think that's going to happen, George. But of course, if it did, the president would have to respond to it. There are multiple examples throughout American history of the president doing just that."
Stephanopoulos asked if the president must abide by legitimate Supreme Court rulings, and when Vance responded, the ABC News personality said, "You've made it very clear you believe the president can defy the Supreme Court."
I'm not always the biggest @JDVance1 fan but what @GStephanopoulos did to him was absolutely the lowest partisan dickheaded thing I've seen in the history of Sunday shows. George rules ABC's politics coverage like a little Democrat dictator and it shows. Shameful.
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) February 5, 2024
Oh, come on, George. Even Ben Domenech, a conservative commentator who isn't a fan of Vance, was appalled by the interview, saying, "George rules ABC's politics coverage like a little Democrat dictator, and it shows. Shameful."
The scenario Vance offered is a prime example of an illegal ruling. You cannot hope that the rule of law and constitutional order will be maintained on its own anymore—the Democrats made quick work of shattering that principle during the Trump presidency. The Supreme Court told Biden that he could not forgive student loan debt. He did it anyway. Obama arguably violated separation of powers with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive order. The White House circumvented Congress by passing a new immigration law. Republicans have tried to repeal the executive order, which the courts have blocked. It’s wrong. An EO can be rescinded, as Biden has often done with Trump’s border security initiatives.
Sorry, given that the Department of Justice is targeting pro-life activists, the former president, former staffers, and aides, and anyone Democrats view as enemies, there’s no limit to the mischief and mayhem that the administrative state and the courts can inflict.
When Democrats don’t win, they attack the institutions. On legal matters, they say courts are illegitimate because they have Republican appointees on them when they take an “L” in a ruling. Even worse, they’re mulling packing the Supreme Court with woke leftists. The actions proposed by Democrats on these matters are far more damaging than anything Vance said on Sunday. Just wait until the courts rule on the issue of presidential immunity regarding Trump's trials on alleged federal election interference and mishandling classified documents. If Trump's legal team clinches a win, cue the rogue judiciary talking points from the Left.
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