FIRST, BLACK ROBE RESISTANCE.
THAT’S THE FOCUS OF TONIGHT’S
ANGLE.
IF YOU ARE LIKE MOST AMERICANS,
YOU GREW UP WITH A SPECIAL SENSE
OF REVERENCE FOR JUDGES.
WATCHING FILMS OR READING BOOKS,
REGULAR FOLKS HAVE SEEN
COUNTLESS PORTRAYALS OF JUDGES
AS CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONALS WHO
SET THEIR OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS
ASIDE AND OBJECTIVELY WEIGH THE
MERITS OF EACH CASE.
>> SINCE THERE HAS BEEN NO
PREVIOUS VIOLATION OF THE
STATUTE, THERE’S NO PRECEDENT TO
GUIDE THE BENCH PASSING
SENTENCE.
>> THE WITNESS WILL ADDRESS THIS
COURT AS JUDGE OR YOUR HONOR.
I’M QUITE CERTAIN.
>> SINCE THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT DECLARES THIS MAN TO
BE SANTA CLAUS, THIS COURT WILL
NOT DISPUTE IT.
CASE DISMISSED.
>> Laura: I GET GOOSE BUMPS
EVERY TIME.
OF COURSE THEN THERE’S THE REAL
WORLD FOR CERTAIN JUDGES ACT
MORE LIKE POLITICAL PUNDITS THAN
IMPARTIAL ARBITERS.
CASE IN POINT, YESTERDAY
SENTENCING HEARING A FORMER TOP
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
MICHAEL FLYNN.
JUDGE EMMET SULLIVAN, MOST
RECENTLY A CLINTON APPOINTEE,
MOVED HIS MOMENT IN THE
SPOTLIGHT TO CASTIGATE FLYNN
WITH INCENDIARY CHARGES THAT
WEREN’T EVEN BROUGHT BY THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL.
AT ONE POINT, HE TOLD THE
DECORATED LIEUTENANT GENERAL
ARGUABLY YOU SOLD YOUR COUNTRY
OUT.
THEN HE CITED SIGNS FAILURE TO
REGISTER AS A FOREIGN AGENT
AND THE JUDGE ACTUALLY USE THE
WORD TREASON BUT WITH CLEVER
PHRASING.
HE TOLD THE COURT "I WASN’T
SUGGESTING THAT HE WAS
COMMITTING TREASON.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF HE COULD
HAVE BEEN CHARGED.
LOTS OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES OUT
THERE."
SINCE WHEN DO JUDGES START
INVOKING CONSPIRACY THEORIES AS
GROUNDS FOR IMPOSING ADDITIONAL
JAIL TIME OR ANY JAIL TIME FOR
DEFENDANT?
THE SPECIAL COUNSEL ACTUALLY
RECOMMENDED NO JAIL TIME.
NEVERTHELESS, JUDGE SULLIVAN
WARNED FLYNN THAT EVEN IF HE
COOPERATED FURTHER WITH THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL, HE COULD STILL
SERVE TIME.
>> THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE
MOST DRAMATIC HEARINGS THAT I’VE
EVER WITNESSED, AND I’VE BEEN
HERE IN WASHINGTON NEARLY 20
YEARS.
>> Laura: IT ONLY GOT WORSE,
BY THE WAY.
NATURALLY, LIBERAL PUNDITS WERE
QUICK TO CHEER THEIR HONORABLE
COMRADE IN ARMS ACTIVISM.
>> I WILL TELL YOU THIS FOR
TODAY A JUDGE IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., STOOD UP FOR
OUR COUNTRY.
HE SPANKED EVERYBODY IN
WASHINGTON.
>> WHATEVER TEMPERAMENT THE
JUDGE WOULD LIKE TO EXHIBIT IN
THE COURT.
>> NONE OF THEM UNDERSTOOD THE
BASIC MORAL OUTRAGE JUDGE
SULLIVAN IS GOING TO BRING THE
PROCEEDINGS.
>> I THINK TODAY WAS A REALLY
GOOD DAY FOR THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
AND THAT THIS CHARGE REALLY DID
HIS JOB.
>> Laura: TOTALLY.
SURE, THEY LOVE THE THEATRICS
BECAUSE HE’S PART OF THE
RESISTANCE.
TODAY HE MIGHT HAVE EARNED
HIMSELF A FULL TIME CNN
CONTRIBUTED HIS CONTACT GIVEN
THE LATEST RULING.
A PRE-CHRISTMAS PERMANENT
INJUNCTION, JUDGE SULLIVAN AND
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I READ ALL
107 TEDIOUS PAGES THIS
AFTERNOON.
RULED THAT TRUMP’S TIGHTENING
GUIDELINE FOR GRANTING ASYLUM IS
ILLEGAL.
REMEMBER BACK WHEN IN JUNE WHEN
JEFF SESSIONS ANNOUNCED THESE
NEW ASYLUM RULES?
>> ASYLUM IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE
WHO LEAVE THEIR HOME COUNTRY
BECAUSE OF PERSECUTION OR FEAR
ON ACCOUNT OF RACE, RELIGION,
NATIONALITY OR MEMBERSHIP IN A
PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUP OR
POLITICAL OPINION.
ASYLUM WAS NEVER MEANT TO
ALLEVIATE ALL PROBLEMS, EVEN ALL
SERIOUS PROBLEMS, THAT PEOPLE
FACE EVERY DAY ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
>> Laura: COMMON SENSE
INTERPRETATION, NO?
THE MOVE WAS NEEDED BECAUSE
ASYLUM-SEEKERS WERE ABUSING THE
SYSTEM, AIDED BY A LOT OF
LEFTIST NGOs.
MIGRANTS BEGAN PARROTING LINES
ABOUT GANG VIOLENCE AND
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO ESTABLISH
THIS EXPANDED CREDIBLE FEAR
CATEGORY BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T
WANT TO RETURN TO THEIR
HOMELANDS.
JUDGE SULLIVAN’S OPINION TODAY,
IT’S BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL.
TRUMP THE WAY IT USED TO BE.
THE JUDGE NOT ONLY BY THE WAY
DEMANDS THE ADMINISTRATION
REVERSED TO THE OLD RULES OF
ASYLUM ENTRY BUT FURTHER HE
INSTRUCTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT
RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES
THE PLAINTIFFS WERE UNLAWFULLY
DEPORTED AND TO PROVIDE THEM
WITH NEW CREDIBLE FEAR
DETERMINATIONS CONSISTENT WITH
THE IMMIGRATION LAWS.
WOULD YOU LIKE A MINT ON YOUR
PILLOW TOO?
IN OTHER WORDS, ALL THOSE
DEPORTED HAVE TO BE BROUGHT BACK
FOR NEW ASYLUM HEARINGS.
NOW, I GUESS THEY CAN STAY AT
SULLIVAN’S HOUSE AS THEY AWAIT
TRIAL.
WHO KNOWS.
BUT FROM HAVES ACTIVIST JUDICIAL
HIGH HORSE, SULLIVAN
APPARENTLY ISN’T BOTHERED BY
THE GROWING BACKLOG OF 800,000
NOW IMMIGRATION COURT CASES.
30% OF THOSE INVOLVED ASYLUM
REQUESTS.
THAT’S MORE THAN TRIPLE THE
NUMBER FROM 2009.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE
SCOURGE OF UNELECTED JUDGES
SUBSTANTIVELY THEIR OWN POLICY
PREFERENCES FOR THOSE OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE’S
REPRESENTATIVES SINCE THIS
JOE STARTED BACK IN OCTOBER OF
LAST YEAR.
THE PRESIDENT ULTIMATELY WON ON
HIS TRAVEL BAN AT THE
SUPREME COURT BUT FOR EVERY
ISSUE FROM TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
SERVING THE MILITARY TO CLIMATE
CHANGE TO THE 2020 SENSES TO THE
KEYSTONE PIPELINE, THESE
ACTIVIST JUDGES HAVE WAGED AN
ASSAULT ON TRUMP’S AGENDA AND
THEY HAVE EXCEEDED THEIR
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY IN
ALMOST EVERY INSTANCE.
WE ARE REMINDED OF HOW IMPORTANT
IT IS THAT TRUMP GETS HIS
JUDICIAL NOMINEES CONFIRMED AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
MITCH MCCONNELL HAS DONE A
PRETTY GOOD JOB, BUT WE NEED
THIS DONE FASTER, MORE
EXPEDITIOUSLY.
LIKE YESTERDAY, AND IF THIS
MEANS STAYING IN
SESSION FOR AN EXTRA FEW DAYS HE
EVERY MONTH OR IT MAY BE EVEN
INTO THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY,
GUESS WHAT, THE COUNTRY
DEPENDS ON IT.
THE CONSTITUTION DEPENDS ON IT.
SHAME ON CONGRESS FOR NOT DOING
ITS JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE AND
PASSING URGENTLY NEEDED ASYLUM
REFORM AT ANY POINT IN THE LAST
TWO YEARS.
THEY HAVE THE HOUSE.
AND THE SENATE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THIS
ISSUE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE A LOT ON
IMMIGRATION, INCLUDING FUNDING
FOR THE WALL.