Don’t freak out about SCOTUS
There are lots of reasons to lose faith in the conservative-leaning Supreme Court. Following allegations of eye-popping ethical lapses and the historic ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, trust in the Supreme Court has sunk to its lowest point in over 50 years. Believe me, I get it.
But the sliver of good news is that precedent shows we shouldn’t always assume the worst when it comes to how this court will rule on Donald Trump’s legal cases.
When Trump attempted to prevent New York City prosecutors from obtaining his tax returns, the court dismissed his request.
Last year, when Trump asked the court for a special master to review the classified documents taken from Mar-a-Lago, the justices rejected him.
When Trump requested that the Supreme Court intervene and stop the disclosure of his tax returns to House Democrats, it refused to intervene.
And when Trump asked the court to block the release of White House records as part of the House’s investigation into Jan. 6, the court dismissed his request yet again.
On Friday, the Supreme Court agreed to consider Trump’s eligibility under the 14th Amendment. It is also likely to consider the scale and scope of presidential immunity.
It’s natural to be pessimistic about these upcoming rulings, but precedent shows we shouldn’t always assume the worst. At least when it comes to the court and Trump’s legal trouble.
A story you should be following: The New York attorney general vs. the NRA
Longtime NRA leader Wayne LaPierre announced his resignation Friday, just days before the start of his trial in New York.
In a civil lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, LaPierre and three other NRA executives face allegations of tax fraud. James first sued the NRA in 2020, after an investigation she says found the organization used more than $64 million from donors for luxury vacations, private jets and more. James alleges that LaPierre and three other executives used the NRA as a “personal piggy bank.”
The NRA even tried to declare bankruptcy in 2021 to avoid the attorney general’s investigation.
If James wins this case, she could have more oversight over the NRA’s activities. The organization could also face a number of financial penalties. Following LaPierre’s resignation, James stated it “validates our claims against him, but it will not insulate him from accountability. We look forward to presenting our case in court.”
The end of the Wayne LaPierre era at the NRA is an important victory in our case.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) January 5, 2024
LaPierre’s resignation validates our claims against him, but it will not insulate him from accountability.
We look forward to presenting our case in court.
Meanwhile, gun ownership has reached record levels in the United States.
I will have more to say about what this all means on the show tomorrow (Sunday) at 12 p.m. ET.
Someone to watch: Tom Suozzi
Remember when George Santos was ousted from Congress in a dramatic, historic December expulsion? Now someone has to fill Santos’ vacant seat, and the race is on.
New York Democrats selected former Rep. Tom Suozzi as their party’s nominee for the Feb. 13 special election. Suozzi previously represented New York’s 3rd District before leaving Congress to pursue an ultimately unsuccessful run for governor. Prior to serving in Congress, he led Nassau County as county executive and was the mayor of Glen Cove.
Suozzi will face Nassau County legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip, an Ethiopian immigrant who served in the Israel Defense Forces.
This is a highly competitive race that has the potential to shrink Republicans’ already razor-thin majority. President Joe Biden won the district by 8 points in 2020, but it has since shifted to the right.
Alex Tabet’s weekend routine:
The Iowa caucuses are quickly approaching, and our NBC News embeds are already on the ground talking with voters and attending the final surge of candidate events. You can follow Alex on X @AlexanderTabet for his latest reporting from the Hawkeye State.
What show are you bingeing right now?
MSNBC daytime coverage on Sirius XM while driving hundreds of miles a day throughout Iowa from political event to political event.
What’s the last book you read?
“Lessons In Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus. Our jobs are nonfiction so it’s nice to mix in a little fiction.
What time do you wake up on the weekends?
Typically 2-4 hours before the beginning of Vivek Ramaswamy’s first political event of the day, depending how far it is from Des Moines! Last weekend that meant waking up at 5 a.m. on Saturday, but luckily New Year’s Eve gave us a respite from the trail.
How do you take your coffee?
Black.
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden.