'Frustration' as conflict erupts between Trump's 'MAGA loyalists' and legal activists

31 May

One-third of the U.S. Supreme Court consists of Donald Trump appointees who were aggressively promoted by the Federalist Society and its leader Leonard Leo. And all three of Trump's nominees — Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch — were applauded by the MAGA movement, Christian nationalists and the Religious Right when they voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022 with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling.

Trump and Leo were allies in the past. But in an article published on May 30, Politico reporters Hailey Fuchs and Daniel Barnes explain why Trump and some of his MAGA supporters are angrily turning against the Federalist Society.

In a Thursday night, May 29 rant on his Truth Social platform, Trump described Leo as a "real sleazebag" and wrote, "I am so disappointed in The Federalist Society because of the bad advice they gave me on numerous Judicial Nominations."

"It was a remarkable souring on the nonprofit that supported Trump's push to install hundreds of judges across the federal judiciary and tilt courts in conservatives' favor," Fuchs and Barnes report. "But the president's allies had been sowing discontent with Leo's operation long before Trump publicly turned on his onetime adviser. Frustration had been growing among Trump and MAGA loyalists as a series of court rulings have hampered elements of Trump's second term agenda — including by the Supreme Court, appellate courts and district courts — and by judges Trump installed on the bench during his first term with Leo and the Federalist."

Two Trump allies who are attacking the Federalist Society are MAGA attorney Mike Davis and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer.

Davis told Politico, "Nobody knew who Leonard Leo was before President Trump gave him a key role picking judges. Leonard Leo took too much credit from President Trump and he got filthy rich then he abandoned President Trump, especially during the lawfare against Trump."

In a May 30 post on X, formerly Twitter, Loomer wrote, "In April, I warned Conservatives about Leonard Leo and the Federalist Society @FedSoc for their use of lawfare against President Trump and his Tariffs…. I'm glad President @realDonaldTrump has come to the same conclusion! No more letting the Federalist Society recommend judges. Look at SCOTUS. Obviously the Federalist Society and Leonard Leo did a terrible job recommending judges."

According to Fuchs and Barnes, Leo and the Federalist Society "have been boxed out of the judicial nomination process as the second Trump White House has begun to name jurists for vacancies."

But conservative attorney John Vecchione, a Federalist Society member for many years, finds Trump's animosity for the group baffling.

Vecchione told Politico, "There's a lot of people who voted for this president and followed him because they felt they could finally have judges who would read words and not make up what those words meant. And those people are on his side all this time, and they are often a useful resource, and why chase them away? Makes no sense to me."

Read the full Politico article at this link.

From Your Site Articles