Democrats Overplay Their Legal Hand in courts —and Trump Is Now Winning

A New York Appellate Court recently tossed out a more than $500 million judgment against President Trump and the Trump Organization obtained by New York Attorney General Letitia James. FOX News analyst Jonathan Turley called the decision “tremendous” and a “long overdue” correction. Turley described the entire case as a “grotesque use” of New York’s fraud laws. CNN’s legal analyst Elie Honig called the decision “monumental” and a “huge win” for Trump – and “a stinging rebuke for New York Attorney General Letitia James.”

This is just the latest court victory for the President. For years, Democrats and their media allies have weaponized the justice system against Donald Trump, touting district court rulings as definitive proof of wrongdoing and abuse of power. From civil fraud penalties to ballot disqualifications, they have used sympathetic judges in favorable jurisdictions to build a dubious narrative of legal abuses. However, as I have long predicted, many of the initial cases Democrats pursued were too politically motivated – and would not survive legal appeals.

Appellate courts and the United States Supreme Court are quietly dismantling the legal scaffolding erected by Democrats and their allied organizations. Trump has gone on both the defensive and the offensive. He sued porn actress Stormy Daniels and won a $600,000 judgment. Rather than go to court, CBS settled a lawsuit from Trump for $16 million.

However, it is the high-profile political cases in which Democrat actors challenge Trump’s presidential authority that receive the most media attention. Here are a few of the more notable cases that Trump has won:

• Colorado Ballot Case: The Court unanimously ruled that states cannot bar Trump from the presidential ballot under the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause.” This reversed Colorado’s effort to disqualify him from the 2024 ballot.
• Temporary Protected Status Termination: The Ninth Circuit upheld Trump’s authority to end protected status for immigrants.
• National Guard Deployment: The Supreme Court allowed Trump to retain control of 4,000 National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles during immigration raids, rejecting California’s challenge.
• Redistricting Challenges: The Supreme Court declared that it has no authority over political redistricting other than in cases involving civil rights issues.
• Nationwide Injunctions: The Court ruled that federal courts likely lack authority to issue universal injunctions, limiting the scope of challenges to Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship.
• And More …

In July, Newsweek carried a headline, “Supreme Court Hands Donald Trump 16th Win in a Row”.  They wrote that, “the court has handed the administration wins on its efforts to shrink the size of the federal government, immigration enforcement, deportations, scaling back legal protections for transgender people, removing independent government watchdogs and more”.

Each of these victories and reversals reflects a broader truth – that the justice system, when allowed to function without political interference, tends to correct itself.  District court victories can serve narrow political agendas and grab temporary headlines, but appellate courts and the Supreme Court are where constitutional clarity prevails.

It is relatively easy to find accommodating and biased jurists among the more than 677 federal district judges – and the additional hundreds of “senior judges” who do not hold an official seat but do hear cases. Judge shopping is a common practice. However, it is more difficult to find politically motivated appellate judges and Supreme Court justices – especially since decisions are often the result of several judges’ opinions.

Predictions Fulfilled – and More to Come

In previous commentaries, I have repeatedly written that Democrats were overplaying their legal hand in court cases involving Trump’s powers and actions. (With apologies for my “I told you so” moment).  The initial cases brought by Demorats were nothing more early temporary wins presented as lasting victories. They relied on biased judges, sympathetic media, and public outrage to drive their cases forward – giving the public a false impression.

Now, my predictions are coming true. Trump is winning reversals, securing judgments, and exposing the partisan machinery behind many of these legal attacks. More reversals are on the horizon.

The American legal system is not perfect, but it is resilient. When one branch overreaches, another steps in. When politics infects the courtroom, appellate judges and Supreme Court justices tend to disinfect it. When the media declares guilt before trial, the Constitution and the higher courts tends to rebuff it. Democrats bet big on the courts. They used them to punish, distract, and delegitimize. However, they forgot one thing. The courts answer to the law – and the law is now answering back.

So, there ‘tis.