I just listened to the DOJ attorney try to defend Trump's ban

[dixiegrrrrl]

Caveat....I lasted 20 minutes.

I assume many here managed to last more than that. and would like to hear what you thought was going on.

To my rusty legal language ears, it seemed the DOJ attorney was eviscerated rather quickly.

what I hear him say was basically " you can interrupt me all you want with legal mumbo-jumbo, but I have my bullet points listed on this piece of paper which say I better prove that the President's decision to do anything is the only law in the land"

and

" I don't really know much law, so I am gonna throw around some legal phrases I got from Google right here, and hope to dazzle you with footwork"

and

" I have bad footwork.
Whadda expect from me? All the good lawyers walked out with Sally Yates".

Is that what you heard?

[Else You Are Mad]

1. It reminded me of an...

Unprepared first year law student for their first mock hearing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Exactly the thought that flashed thru my mind.

flinging foo to see what sticks...

Could you just SEE the faces of those judges, in your mind?

[Else You Are Mad]

5. You can always tell when a judge is not happy.

Back in the day I clerked for the nicest judge in the world. Even when an attorney pissed her off, she was cool, calm and polite -- but there was a certain tone to her voice when she was not happy. And I heard that very tone from each of the judges when they asked him a question.

I can honestly say I do not think they were happy at all.

[uponit7771]

2. They no doubt didn't have their shit together

[DonaldsRump]

3. Julie Kirchner at the Customs and Border Protection: Are you kidding me???

I don't know how I missed this one, but I am just truly stunned. Take a look at this from the Southern Poverty Law Center's website:

Julie Kirchner, the former executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), has been named chief of staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/01/23/former-executive-director-anti-immigrant-hate-group-fair-joins-trump-administration


Be very vigilant for denial of civil rights and liberties, intimidation, etc at border crossings. Document it all.

Unreal. And very real. All at the same time.

[onenote]

6. Always a bad idea to only listen to one side of an argument

Yeah, they beat up the DOJ lawyer.

They also beat up the state's lawyer.

I think/hope it will be a 2-1 ruling to allow the TRO to stand, but I wouldn't bet the house on it one way or the other.