It’s a sign of how far gone we are as a country that the media reported with a straight face that President Pennywise fired the Librarian of Congress. Say what? The librarian works for the legislative branch, not the executive. Whatever happened to the separation of powers? They’re on the run in the era of Congressional cowardice and the unitary executive theory espoused by right-wingers and embraced by a wannabe dictator.
Congressional GOPers may be rolling over and playing dead for this illegal stunt but House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is fighting back:
“The problem that we confront right now in this Congress is that House Republicans and Senate Republicans are nothing more than a compliant rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda,” Jeffries said during his press conference Tuesday. “They’re not a check and balance. They’re not working for the American people. They’re actually working for an out-of-control executive branch. Now, it’s the Library of Congress, not the library of the executive branch. So clearly there’s going to have to be some reforms at this particular point in time mowing forward.”
Jeffries added: “The President probably violated the law.”
Questions surrounding the legality or constitutionality of Trump’s actions here remain genuinely murky, but Jeffries noted the mystery around Hayden’s sudden dismissal. It also comes at a time when the Trump administration is taking a sledgehammer to the constitutional separation-of-powers in other areas, including through his DOGE cuts and as his administration ignores some court rulings.
“What cause did he have to fire Dr. Hayden?” he asked. “There’s no cause. It’s all made up foolishness.”
Made up foolishness is this administration’s jam. Most of their polices are pulled out of Trump’s ass after insertion therein by the likes of Steven Miller.
There’s nothing murky about this firing. It’s clear that it’s illegal as well as racist and sexist: Dr. Carla Hayden is an eminent Black scholar who has served since 2016. I wish that Leader Jeffries hadn’t undermined his legal position by saying that Trump PROBABLY violated the law. The Kaiser of Chaos ALWAYS violates the law. He sees the law as a toy to be played with like a cat swatting a dangling cord.
Adding to the weirdness of the Hayden firing is the appointment of former Trump defense lawyer and current DOJ destroyer, Todd Blanche, as acting librarian. This shyster lawyer can serve as acting librarian because he was confirmed by the Senate. Todd Blanche has proven himself to be an empty vessel ready to do the Insult Comedian’s bidding. He’s the sycophant’s sycophant. He has a new label of opprobrium: shyster librarian.
The thought of the shyster lawyer turned shyster librarian running amuck at the LOC makes me, well, blanch. It’s fitting that his name minus the ending E also means this: “to suddenly have less color in your face because you are afraid, embarrassed, etc.”
Repeat after me: Todd Blanche, shyster librarian makes me blanch.
The last word goes to Brian Setzer: