Lawyers Should Not Assist Trump in a Potential Power Grab

The New York Times ^ | Oct. 13, 2024, 7:00 a.m. ET | Kate Shaw, Contributing Opinion Writer

[E. Pluribus Unum]

As the presidential campaign begins its final sprint, Donald Trump has made crystal clear how he will respond if he loses. He will refuse to accept the results; he will make baseless claims of voter fraud; and he will turn, with even more ferocity than he did in 2020, to the courts to save him.

Mr. Trump has made clear that he views any election he loses — no matter how close or fair — as by definition illegitimate. The question then is whether there will be lawyers willing to cloak this insistence in the language of legal reasoning and therefore to assist him in litigating his way back to the White House.

Republican lawyers have already unleashed lawsuits ahead of Election Day. These legal partisans have pursued their efforts across the country but have concentrated on swing states and key counties. The moves are clearly intended to lay the groundwork for Mr. Trump’s post-election efforts in states where the margins of victory are close.

Such post-election efforts will be credible only if credible attorneys sign on to mount them. So it is critical that lawyers of conscience refuse to assist in those endeavors. As Mr. Trump’s rhetoric grows ever more vengeful and openly authoritarian, a great deal turns on the willingness of members of the legal profession to make common cause with him.

At least since 2000, every close presidential election has involved recounts or litigation. Both sides lawyer up, and a high-stakes game of inches ensues.

Although the lawyers engaged in those efforts are playing hardball, their work is predicated on a shared set of premises: In elections, the candidate who gets the most votes prevails (whether that means winning state or federal office or winning a state’s electoral votes). And in a close election, skilled lawyers will seek...

[Drew68]

You forgot to mention the insurrection in January by Antifa and friends.

You mean the "Mostly Peaceful Protest In Defense Of Our Cherished Democracy"?

[wardaddy]

Could be prescient

[Drew68]

Anybody who trusts a NYT contributing opinion writer to be honest is an idiot.

You don't believe a NYT opinion writer doesn't think that Trump shouldn't fight any efforts by the Democrats to steal the election?

[tsomer]

Another optimist! Glad you’re here!

[VeniVidiVici]

Sounds like the Times is talking about every election for the past 60 years.

Why don’t they mention right now where the Democrats are fighting every Republican effort to clean the rolls?

[Drew68]

Another optimist! Glad you’re here!

Of course! In my version, Trump wins!

I've likely seriously underestimated the fight that the Democrats are going to put up between the election and inauguration though.

[logi_cal869]

I’ve never seen/heard of such a statement from DJT.

I wouldn’t support such actions regardless.

What I would support is *** ***** * ** ****** *** * ******* *** ***** ** ****** ******* ***** ********** ** ******.

[yldstrk]

It was the same in the time of King George.

[Gay State Conservative]

And Mao Tse Tung