President Trump complied with Judge Robart’s injunction on his executive order implementing extreme vetting of people from seven terrorist-ridden countries seeking entry into ours.
“So what?” you say. “Isn’t that what he’s supposed to do?”
Of course. But his many detractors, including most of the establishment “news” media, claimed he would rule as a dictator and refuse to follow the rule of law. They’ve now conclusively been proven wrong.
It is true that the morning after this decision was rendered, President Trump sent out one his famously juvenile tweets denouncing the decision as “ridiculous,” stating that it will be overturned, and belittling Judge Robart as a “so-called” judge.
Rich wrote yesterday eloquently and correctly about why this insult of the judge by our president was unacceptable and dangerous. Judge Robart’s ruling is ridiculous and lacking in any valid legal reasoning, and it’s perfectly appropriate for pundits like Rich and me to to criticize it as such, but a president acts irresponsibly when he seeks to undermine the public’s confidence in the judiciary.
So, Trump’s tweet did give ammunition to his detractors who hysterically claim that he’s a “dictator,” “tyrant,” or reincarnation of Adolf Hitler. But the fact is that, despite all of his bluster, Trump complied with Judge Robart’s ruling.
Immediately upon the injunction being issued, Trump’s Department of Homeland Security reversed its practices and issued visas to thousands of people who had either been denied or delayed for vetting. Even while denigrating the injunction and the judge who issued it, Trump respected the authority of the judiciary to issue such an injunction and, through his prompt actions, demonstrated that he respects the powers of the co-equal Judicial Branch of our government.
Trump’s detractors, if they are intellectually honest, should take comfort in his response to the injunction. Contrary to their fears and predictions, Trump followed the Constitution and is working within its framework to rectify Judge Robart’s incorrect decision.
Furthermore, Trump’s actions stand in contrast with previous presidents who did, in fact, ignore and even openly defy orders of the court. President Nixon famously refused to comply with the Supreme Court’s order to release the “Pentagon Papers,” forcing a constitutional crisis. President Obama more quietly ignored orders of the court overturning his liberal immigration executive orders until a judge threatened his administration with sanctions.
So, again, if President Trump’s detractors are intellectually honest, they will acknowledge that despite his defiant rhetoric, he has shown a greater respect for the limits of his presidential powers than his predecessor and other prior presidents.
Judge Robart’s decision will be overturned. Although it will be upheld initially by the far-left activist judges of the Ninth Circus Court of Appeals (I can say that – I’m not the president), it will ultimately be reversed by the Supreme Court.
In the meantime, Trump will continue to comply with the injunction, the rule of order will be sustained, the Constitution will be respected, and the republic will survive.
Author: Ken Falkenstein
Ken Falkenstein is the Managing Editor of Committed Conservative and brings a wealth of experience and expertise in public affairs to the job. Ken served in the U.S. Army in the last years of the Cold War as a Russian linguist for military intelligence and the NSA. After leaving the Army, he earned his degree in Secondary Education from Old Dominion University, where he also wrote a popular column in the student newspaper.
Upon graduation, Ken worked as a Legislative Aide to two Republican members of the Virginia House of Delegates. Ken also served as Corresponding Secretary of the Young Republican Federation of Virginia, managed several successful political campaigns, and managed governmental affairs operations for a local Realtor association.
In 1995, Ken moved to Washington, DC to serve as a Legislative Assistant to Sen. John Warner (R-VA). While working for Sen. Warner, Ken attended law school at night, earning his J.D. with honors from the George Mason University School of Law (n/k/a The Antonin Scalia Law School). Since that time, Ken has practiced as a civil litigation attorney, including serving for three years as an Associate City Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Ken previously was a contributor to the highly-regarded political blog Bearing Drift and was a weekly co-host of The Steve Batton Radio Program. In 2016, Ken ran unsuccessfully for the Virginia Beach School Board. Ken is also a former President of the Down Syndrome Association of Hampton Roads.
Ken now lives outside of Denver, Colorado with his wife, Kim, and three sons, Adam, Dylan, and Joshua, who has Down syndrome. Ken’s writing is motivated and informed primarily by his concern for his kids’ future.
