Wertheimer Political Report, October 9, 2025
The Abuser, Part II: A Lawless Life
(See Part I here.)
No President of the United States has ever had anything like Donald Trump’s track record with the law. He is, put simply, a habitual lawbreaker.
He is a convicted felon.
He has been held liable for sexual abuse.
He has been held liable for defamation.
He has been held liable for business fraud.
He has been held liable for misusing the Donald J. Trump Foundation for political purposes and violating nonprofit rules.
Additionally, Trump was indicted for attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election and for mishandling national security documents. These cases were never finally resolved because Trump was elected in 2024, and Justice Department policy prevents prosecuting a sitting president. The cases were dismissed without prejudice.
In his second term, Trump has continued on his lawless path, grossly abusing the powers of his office to carry out a campaign of revenge, retaliation, and retribution.
Chief Justice Roberts’ disastrous presidential immunity opinion set the stage for Trump’s personal control of law enforcement. Trump has taken full advantage of the Court’s decision, assuming absolute control over the Justice Department and FBI and using the control against his perceived enemies.
The Roberts-majority in the Supreme Court has been Trump’s resolute ally during his first nine months in office.
While lower court judges – appointed by Republican and Democratic presidents, including by Trump – have repeatedly found that Trump’s sweeping executive orders and actions violate federal laws and the Constitution, the Republican-appointed justices have been serving as Trump’s backstop. These Justices have consistently bent the knee to Trump.
Meanwhile, Trump has gone after nonprofits who disagree with him. His own serious violations of the IRS nonprofit rules – Trump made 19 admissions acknowledging his personal misuse of his foundation’s funds – show his attacks on nonprofits are not a thirst for compliance with the nonprofit rules but rather a cover for attacking groups who challenge his views and actions.
Trump is a great believer in free speech but only for his followers. When his opponents speak out, he apparently believes they deserve threats, harassment and legal action.
According to the New York Times, “A senior Justice Department official has instructed more than a half dozen U.S. attorney’s offices to draft plans to investigate a group funded by George Soros, the billionaire Democratic donor whom President Trump has demanded be thrown in jail.”
Vice President J.D. Vance has said he would “go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates and engages in violence,” and two early targets would be The Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundations. There is no basis for claiming these groups represent any sort of violent threat.
And The Washington Post reported that “The White House is compiling a list of ‘left-wing organizations’ that it says are tied to political violence,” and is considering trying to take away their tax status.
That would be illegal. Federal law prohibits the President, Vice President and other senior officials from asking the IRS to “conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer.”
Yet that is precisely what Trump, Vice President Vance, and others are apparently pursuing.
Trump and his administration’s claims of domestic terrorism and political violence are nothing more than a guise. It’s all a phony cover for going after nonprofits who disagree with them.
Their attacks on nonprofits are entirely partisan as shown by the fact it is only so-called “left-wing” groups that Trump, Vance and other administration senior officials say they want to go after.
The nonprofit sector is not sitting around waiting for Trump and his minions to pick off nonprofit groups one-by-one, though.
More than 3,700 nonprofit groups, including Democracy 21, have banded together to fight back against Trump and his minions. They have issued an open letter that states:
“No president–Democrat or Republican–should have the power to punish nonprofit organizations simply because he disagrees with them. That is not about protecting Americans or defending the public interest. It is about using unchecked power to silence opposition and voices he disagrees with. That is un-American and flies in the face of the Constitution, including the First Amendment bar on targeting organizations for their advocacy… This Administration is trying to bully people into silence but speaking out is, and has always been, our collective mission. We stand with those wrongly targeted and with each other. No exceptions.”
Trump has lived a lawless life and continues to do so.
Try as he may, Trump will not bring down our democracy.
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D21 NEWS
Fred Wertheimer:
“It’s absolutely outrageous,” said Fred Wertheimer, a longtime campaign-finance and political reform advocate. “[The Republican-appointed Supreme Court Justices] … have breached their public responsibility. They’re making, in essence, merits decisions and not explaining them for the public, not explaining them to lower-court judges.”
TRUMPWATCH 2.0
Judges appointed by Trump keep ruling against him. He’s not happy about it.
“When a Donald Trump-appointed judge delivered a stinging rejection of his effort to put National Guard troops on the ground in Portland, the president had some regrets.” – Politico
Six surgeons general: It’s our duty to warn the nation about RFK Jr.
“We took an oath to declare dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today. – Washington Post
Trump says he will talk to DOJ about Maxwell pardon, says Diddy asked for one
“U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday left the door open to a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of helping the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls.” – Reuters
Johnson advises Trump against Maxwell pardon: ‘I would never even consider it’
“House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) advised President Trump against a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, a former associate of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.” – The Hill
Trump’s war on the left: Inside the plan to investigate liberal groups
“President Donald Trump’s threatened crackdown on the finances and activities of liberal non-profits and groups opposed to his agenda is a multi-agency effort with top White House aide Stephen Miller playing a central role, according to officials. – Reuters
How Trump Is Using the Justice Department to Target His Enemies
“From the moment Donald J. Trump began his campaign to return to the White House, he has expressed a clear desire to seek vengeance against his enemies.” – New York Times
Prominent Republicans slam Trump for “abuses of power”
“A mostly Republican group of leaders past and present on Wednesday accused President Trump of using ‘the power of law enforcement’ to go after Americans he has a ‘personal animus’ against. – Axios
Democratic attorneys general race to counter Trump’s latest escalation on troop deployments
“Democratic attorneys general across the country are rolling out carefully crafted plans to block President Donald Trump’s ongoing push to militarize cities and encountered setbacks this week, despite early signs of success.” – Politico
Trump administration officials seriously discussing invoking Insurrection Act, sources say
” White House officials have held increasingly serious discussions in recent days about President Donald Trump’s invoking the Insurrection Act, a rarely used 19th century law that gives the president the power to deploy active-duty troops inside the United States for law enforcement purposes…” – NBC News
Trump wants a Nobel Prize. He’ll learn Friday if his campaign paid off.
“Of all the golden glories that Donald Trump has accumulated — the statues, sneakers, even a golden pager — one gleaming medallion has eluded the 79-year-old president: the Nobel Peace Prize.” – Washington Post
We asked 1,000 Americans who they blame for the shutdown – Washington Post
Rank-and-file senators in both parties seek breakthrough on shutdown – The Hill
The Right Wanted a MAGA Pope. Let’s Check In on How That’s Going – Slate
VOTER SUPPRESSION, MONEY, & OTHER ELECTION THREATS
Supreme Court grapples with lawsuit challenging mail-in ballot rules – Washington Post
How a Pennsylvania Supreme Court election could influence the 2028 presidential race – ABC News
Xinyue Lou is accused of funneling foreign campaign donations to President Trump’s campaign. The president has said the justice system has been used against him and his supporters. – New York Times
Democrat Mikie Sherrill holds cash lead in NJ governor’s race
– News From The States
Quotes of the Week
After the Supreme Court rejects an appeal from Ghislaine Maxwell, Trump says about pardoning Maxwell, —”I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look,” he said. “I will speak to the DOJ.” – Reuters
Judge Allison Nathan in 2022 said in sentencing Maxwell to 20 years in jail for sex trafficking and her sexual abuse of young girls:
“Maxwell directly and repeatedly and over the course of many years participated in a horrific scheme to entice, transport and traffic underage girls, some as young as 14, for sexual abuse by and with Jeffrey Epstein. … The damage done to these young girls was incalculable.”
