Happy to.
Any problem Trump has with Leo is of his own making.
The Federalist Society has a central core tenant, the reduction of federal power, including that of the executive Branch. When Trump got in bed with them, he either knew that or ought to have known that. The FS is also, to a large degree, incrementalists, or real conservatives in that they want slow or little change.
So Trump appoints all these people from the Federalist society and is surprised when they actually start issuing rulings that limit Federal power and don't allow rapid expansion of how certain pieces of legislation were interpreted. They are delivering exactly what he knew they would deliver (if he had thought about it at the time) and just doesn't like them ruling against him. He was perfectly happen with them when they defended him from criminal prosecution and struck down lots of Biden initiatives. He's angry because he is not getting his way and fat kids are eating the smarties.
Not only is he philosophically wrong on the point, it shows his governing approach is personal, short term and transactional. He expects the judges he appointed to be personally loyal to him and his policies (a very bad idea) and expects them to rule for policies that he likes or expects to be effective. As judges that should never be the test. They need to rule based on the law, not the merits of any policy. Their decision needs to be if a policy is legal or not, not if it is a good policy or not.
Lastly his thinking on this is just way too short term. He "wants it all and wants it now" but doesn't appear to be stopping to think that if the courts hand all of this power over to the executive, they can't take it back. And sooner or later there will be a president who goes in a very different direction than Trump (or a true conservative) would, and they will have a ton of power to throw the pendulum in the opposite direction due to the rulings Trump so craves. This will create big, destabilizing swings in the future and radicalize American politics even more than it is now. A formula for long term trouble and no long term progress.
Leo, on the other hand, is simply happy to see the overall composition of the bench drifting towards the right, or at least away from centralization, in a slow but sustainable fashion. He believes that is the route to long term progress on the issues he is concerned with.
Trump wants to hold all the power in his own two hands, while Leo believes that dispersing that power amongst the states, congress etc, is much more in line with the Constitution and good policy and governance.
Trump's attacks on the Federalist society is just a weak attempt to continue to personalize his problems. Every time a ruling goes against him he wants to attack the patriotism and character of the judge who did it. In this case one of the judges was one he appointed and he doesn't want to take responsibility for his own appointment, so he tries to throw one of his allies under the bus. Short term thinking.
And attacking the FS is just not good strategy. He clearly wants SCOTUS to rule his way on contentious issues. I don't think that insulting an organization that at least five of the justices were deeply committed to is a good way to get their respect/co-operation.
Don't waste too much time looking for anti-Trump posts you think I made. It's a fool's errand.
So......is Trump justified in calling Leonard Leo a sleazebag?
That's a yes/no answer.
Leonard Leo is no patron saint. Nobody with his power, influence, and dark money at his disposal, does not have clean hands. Especially if he's deeply submersed in the D.C swamp.
If Leo is a sleazeball, at least he's on the Republican side of things. Leo shouldn't be bragging in political circles that he has federal judges under his thumb.
Leo has a well known association with SCOTUS judges Thomas and Alito. Hence Dick Durbins attempt at subpoena of Leo in 2023. Fortunately, Durbin was trying to bypass the Senate judiciary committee rules and procedure to get that subpoena, and it stalled. Durbins attempt at reverse court packing. Leos attorney told him to go pound sand.
Is Trump mad because he's trying to get his way? Absolutely.
What president doesn't want things to go their way? That is not proprietary to Trump.
There are conservative activists in Trumps sphere that are accusing the federalist society of trying to undermine Trump. Leo also seemed to abandon Trump during the lawfare campaign against Trump. I can't imagine why Trump would be upset?
That may be true if an organization tied to Leonard Leo filed suit to stop Trump's levies on chinese goods
You have to ask yourself why? Whats in it for the NCLA in filing that suit? Outside influence? Chinese money involved in that quagmire? Deep state? All of the above?
Fortunately, that ruling of the 3 judge panel was overturned on appeal.
This was not the first time Trump has used IEEPA. He used it in 2019 against Mexico.
Is Trump being not so smart in criticizing the Federalist society.? Trump is doing Trump things and he doesnt care. Its not like he will be up for reelection, or maybe he will......LOL.
The Federalist society will move on to the next president in 2029.
The biggest issue at play is a rogue judiciary that are overstepping. Its their job to interpret law, and rule accordingly.
An unelected Judge does not have the authority to try and interpret what constitutes emergency foreign trade.
I havent seen Trump overstep his presidential authority, yet we have judges issuing injunctions claiming so. They use the weapon of unconstitutionally, yet are not offering a detailed explanation of what amendments are being violated.
Should any president get everything they want from the courts just because that
president helped install that judge? Thankfully, no.
Should rogue leftist judges be allowed to undermine Trumps attempt to deliver on his campaign promises when he's within his legal boundaries to carry out that agenda? Absolutely not.
Look at Joe Biden and his continual attempts to bypass court rulings over his "Buying votes" scheme of student loan debt forgiveness.
We dont need that from any President, regardless of political affiliation. Just as we dont need the deep state and bought and paid for judges trying undermine a sitting president.
All I hear right now, is conjecture from Trump and the media. Leo took the high road, and chose not to publicly engage with Trump over this rift.
I personally dont feel that Trump, or Leo, are completely blameless in what is going on.
