Elon Musk was not elected by the American people, and he certainly was not confirmed by the Senate. Contrarian co-founders Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen discuss how to get the best of Musk through the courts.
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Norm, you filed a lawsuit on behalf of state democracy defenders.
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SPEAKER 1
This is Norm Eisen, normally publisher of The Contrarian, but today also litigator-in-chief.
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SPEAKER 2
Norm, you filed a lawsuit on behalf of state democracy defenders. It's a new kind of lawsuit against Elon Musk and Doge. Tell us what it's about.
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SPEAKER 1
Distinguished legal commentator Ryan Goodman said this may have been one of the most important lawsuits of any kind filed yet because here at State Democracy Defenders Fund, we're challenging the constitutionality of Musk and Doge. How can you have a department... of the United States government without Congress authorizing it.
Jen and Norm talk Elon Musk and DOGE
Feb 13, 2025
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Cannot thank the litigator-in-chief enough! This is real action, this is powerful, forceful pushback and we are so lucky to have legal tigers of this stature working on behalf of the people.
I thank you every day for the information you are giving us, but also for how hard you are working to go through legal means to protect our democracy and our lives.
Go get 'em, Norm!
Have been waiting for this lawsuit. It will be the key. Well done. I am proud to be a Contrarian. Norm…Please post a copy of your complaint. As a retired attorney, I am most interested in it AND what you will uncover by discovery. Thank you again. You help me sleep at night.
Well done, Norm. You and Jen are my absolute heroes. Remember, not all heroes wear a cape. Thank you so much!
Today I was thinking about the fable of The Hare & The Tortoise. Our current arrogant Hare POTUS & cronies tries to blind us with a sea of falsehoods so as to instill fear & paralysis in us Tortoise people. But remember that zeal, perseverance & laser focus wins the race for the Tortoise. 🥳🥳🥳
Thank you, Norm and Jen. Please keep it up!
Bravo! I especially appreciate Jen's observation that there will be discovery. We need to know so many things that are completely cloaked at present. I hope Norm's litigation brings daylight into the total darkness.We need this! Thank you.
Meanwhile Musk /Trump are dismantling almost all govt agencies, firing, laying off or folks are resigning. A lot of damage has been done quickly in these 3 weeks. They seem intent on violating or ignoring rules of law. If they continue this snd attempt yo delay, delay, delay rulings and try to bump them up to SCOTUS this takes even more time. Other than court filings is there any way to stop Musk and his IT boys from causing irreparable damage and potentially stopping Medicaid, Medicare, SS…. They have refused to unfreeze funds so I appreciate your court actions but how do we plan for them to continue what they are doing at rapid pace?
Thanks @BethRobin. I have the same question: How do we stop Trump & the Muskovites? They laugh at lawsuits because the legal process is slow & because fines are meaningless to billionaires. I strongly doubt anyone will march into the WH & arrest them. Even if Congress were to see the light & reverse course, would this make any difference now? I try to remain hopeful, but I see a fascist coup in process.
Thank you all so much!
I’m not an attorney, but for the life of me I don’t understand why the Musk-Trump regime’s lawlessness and Constitution trashing, e.g.,the Stalinist purges of federal agencies and flagrantly unlawful impoundments do not constitute high crimes and misdemeanors and are not grounds for impeachment.
Trump and Musk violated federal laws making it so that impoverished people in Africa can’t get the food and medicine they need to survive and, as result, some have not survived. To me, this resembles conduct that starts with the letter M.
Ending the Musk-Trump regimes “Reign of Terror” is primarily a cultural and political issue that has to be done by the American people through the court of public opinion. But should the United States Supreme Court legally countenance any of Trump’s flagrantly illegal and unconstitutional behavior, it would essentially amount to a judicial coup by them and shred what little credibility left the Court has in the eyes of Americans not affiliated with the MAGA cult.
Even if a Court majority declined to rule one way or the other on the constitutionality of Trump’s transgressions out of fear that Trump would defy one or more of its decisions it would still amount to a dereliction of duty on the part of the Court given how brazenly illegal and unconstitutional Trump’s conduct has been.
Thank you Norm for being the litigator-in-chief!!
I so appreciate all that both you and Jen are doing to fight for our democracy. I'm so glad you both started the Contrarian as it's so helping me stay informed and hopeful. Your guests are excellent too. It's a joy to be a part of a community here with those of like values! Thank you.
Grateful for your litigation, Norm. Grateful to you, Jen and all who are bringing us the Contrarian.
And we couldn’t do this without you two !!! Our favorite word will be “Discovery”!
This is great news. Actual people who have already been harmed! Lawbreaking from all directions knowingly committed by Acting President Musk and President in Name Only (PINO) Trump! And I cannot wait for the Discovery phase. All these documents waiting to be revealed. Showing that M and T knew what they were doing was against the law but they did it anyway. Musk and Trump are going down. To the Litigator-in-Chief, thank you for your hard work. This is so important. IMO, EVERY federal employee in the country who received the famous letter is impacted. Everyone's firing is illegitimate because DOGE has no authority to do ANYTHING, because Congress did not approve its creation.
History will honor you, just as we do today. And thank you to all the staff, who support your work for America and its laws.
This is really what I wanted to hear!!! I thank you so much for all the work you are doing! I salute you: Litigator in chief! Thanks Thanks Thanks
Thank you.
Isn't it about time for the American public to freely and actively protest against trump and insist that Congress begin impeachment of trump? Or, is there another way to remove him from office for failing to protect the Constitution and the Rule of Law? How much more damage are "We The People" gonna put up with before we scream STOP?
Thank you for the up to the moment news you are giving us and for the fight you are bringing to save our country. We are so indebted to you for your tireless work!
Thank you so much!!! Your enthusiasm gives me hope!
Attention to the finest details will bring it all to the forefront. You’re doing great Norm and I have to credit Jen for focusing in on every phase this litigation is taking us.
Thanks for bringing this suit! Hope it at the very least brings DOGE's clandestine actions to light.
Which court is this filed in? Federal DC?
This is great, thank you. However, what is the risk of them ushering DOGE and Musk through a quick Senate confirmation? So far many other unworldly and dangerous characters have been confirmed.
To you legal experts: who would be in charge of arresting Musk and his Muskrats? If he were charged, in jail, but not convicted yet, could they hold him for up to three years (wishful thinking) much like the Guantanamo prisoners? And would that stifle the FOTUS from pardoning him because he hadn’t been convicted of anything yet?
Grateful for the thoughtful important litigation you are doing. But, what is the end game? If you succeed, won’t Trump simply appoint him and the doormat Senate confirm?