Wertheimer Political Report, May 14, 2026
DEMOCRACY 21
John Roberts issues warning on Supreme Court overruling precedent.
This is the same Chief Justice Roberts who wrote and joined opinions that overruled major Supreme Court precedents dealing with our political system and helped reshape the system in favor of concentrated wealth, discriminatory voting rights and greatly expanded executive power. Those include the opinions in Citizens United, McCutcheon, Shelby County and Callais. See this and next week’s Notes.
Chief Justice Roberts also wrote the opinion in Trump v. United States giving presidents unprecedented sweeping immunity for official acts and unquestionable authority to control the Justice Department. The Roberts position, in essence, contradicted the Founders’ foundational principle that no person is above the law and the Constitution they wrote to ensure that we would never have another king-like figure.
The Republican-appointed majority also overruled Roe v. Wade and other Court decisions and has had no problem overruling precedents when they go against the ideology of the Roberts majority. One new test is coming soon dealing with the issue of whether a President has complete authority over the executive branch and therefore whether so-called independent agencies are no longer independent. Let’s see what the Chief Justice and his majority do in this case.
TRUMPWATCH 2.0
10,000 rulings: The courts’ overwhelming rebuke of Trump’s ICE policies.
“A POLITICO analysis reveals judges have ruled against ICE detention practices in roughly 90 percent of cases since the agency mandated that millions of immigrants must be locked up while they face deportation proceedings.” – Politico
Samuel Alito’s Voting Rights Act ruling cited misleading data from DoJ.
“Data in justice department filing quoted in landmark supreme court decision relied on questionable methodology, Guardian analysis finds.” – The Guardian
Acting AG Todd Blanche was told last year to recuse from Justice Department matters involving Trump.
“It was less than two weeks after Todd Blanche took on his role of deputy attorney general in March 2025 when the Justice Department’s top ethics lawyer delivered some straightforward yet inconvenient news: His recusal from legal cases that involved President Donald Trump in his personal capacity was necessary.” – CNN
The Late-Night Truth Social Storms That Offer a Window Into the President’s Mind.
“A WSJ analysis of thousands of posts found that the president uses the social-media platform to spread conspiracy theories and attack his adversaries.” – Wall Street Journal
Federal appeals court probes Trump’s targeting of law firms.
“A federal appeals court panel on Thursday scrutinized President Trump’s executive orders targeting several of the nation’s top law firms, which claim they were retaliated against for representing his political adversaries.” – The Hill
Why Eric Trump joining his father’s trip to China is so tough to defend.
“It’s incumbent on U.S. administrations to avoid the appearance of conflicts like these. As is too often the case, Team Trump doesn’t seem to care.” – MS Now
Holding DOJ to account has been ‘extremely frustrating’ for judges. A Rhode Island court is taking a fresh approach.
“Judges in Chicago, Minneapolis and Washington, DC, have tried to hold the Trump administration accountable for questionable actions inside and outside of court over the past year, but their efforts have been repeatedly stymied through the appeals process, stonewalling and other tactics.” – CNN
FBI insiders: Kash Patel is ‘padding the stats’ to boost his record of arrests.
“In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, the FBI director dodged questions about his behavior and leadership, instead pointing to arrest data that current and former agents say is manipulated.” – MS Now
MEANWHILE, ON CAPITOL HILL
“Crush their souls”: Democrats ditch the niceties after GOP gains upper hand on redistricting. High-minded appeals to good government are out. Ruthless partisan tactics are in. – Politico
“Screw this, I’m out”: Why members of Congress are retiring. Wave of goodbyes points to an uncertain future. – Roll Call
Mike Johnson’s weakness is on display as members go around him on Ukraine aid. Most modern House speakers have gone their whole tenure without a successful discharge petition. Johnson, however, has seen eight. – MS Now
Democrats preview a possible House majority with Jamie Raskin’s new anti-corruption push. Raskin’s legislation targets “self-enrichment” by Trump and future presidents. – MS Now
Democratic and GOP women announce “partnership” to address sexual misconduct. They will push to “make the reporting process faster and more accessible.” – Roll Call
MONEY IN POLITICS, VOTING, ELECTION & OTHER RELATED INFO
Poll: Republicans and Democrats agree on 1 big election issue. As campaign spending hits record highs, voters across parties question how deeply money shapes elections. – Politico
Supreme Court ruling on campaign spending could give GOP a boost. Republicans hope the justices will rule their way and magnify their party committees’ cash advantage for the midterms. – Washington Post
The most vulnerable senators of 2026, less than 6 months before Election Day. Cassidy leaps to top spot while Alaska’s Sullivan makes his debut on list. – Roll Call
Andreessen Horowitz Is Spending on Politics Like No Other. – New York Times
