Of course, it would have been an open secret in The Swamp - but just so the ruling Democrats could laugh at the Republicans, and rub it in as they appointed more black-robed clowns to run the country as a judicial oligarchy.
You hit the nail on the head: When you think “your guys” will be in charge forever, you fear nothing and THAT is one of the reasons they are so RABID when it comes to Trump: They don’t own him and they can’t scare him.
I think you are absolutely right here.