A King in All But Name: The Supreme Court’s Assault on Justice, Democracy, and Care
“This may not be treason by law. But it is treason by design. And history will not forget who looked away.” — Mary Coughlin
A King in All But Name: The Supreme Court’s Assault on Justice, Democracy, and Care
This Is Not Just Judicial Activism—It’s Judicial Complicity
From a Trauma-Informed Lens: This Is Sanctioned Harm
Not Treason by Law—But Treason by Design
So What Can Be Done? Yes—Impeachment Is on the Table
On July 1, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling that may be remembered as the moment democracy was told to sit down and be quiet.
In Trump v. United States, the majority declared that a sitting or former president is entitled to absolute immunity for “core” constitutional acts, and presumptive immunity for all official acts performed while in office.
They refused to define “official acts.”
They offered no clear boundaries.
They handed unchecked power to the highest office in the land—no matter how much harm is done in its name.
This ruling didn’t just reinterpret the law.
It shattered the very foundation of democratic accountability.
It handed a convicted criminal a golden ticket to abuse power—so long as he does it from the Oval Office.
This Is Not Just Judicial Activism—It’s Judicial Complicity
The Constitution presumes no one is above the law.
This Court disagrees.
Instead of preserving checks and balances, the Court dismantled them—disguising the act with solemn language and legal ritual.
It sanctified impunity.
It undermined equality before the law.
It shielded harm as policy.
If a president can incite an insurrection, direct federal agencies to target opponents, or use military force against civilians—and call it “official”—then what remains is not a republic. It is a regime with robes.
From a Trauma-Informed Lens: This Is Sanctioned Harm
In trauma-informed practice, we know that trauma is not only what happens to people—it’s what’s allowed to happen when power is abused.
This ruling:
Gaslights the public, telling us not to trust our eyes, our instincts, or our pain.
Retriggers survivors, especially those harmed by state violence, racism, corruption, and political abuse.
Signals to future leaders that they can harm at scale, and the law will protect them—not the people.
This isn’t justice—it’s institutional betrayal.
It isn’t constitutional fidelity—it’s judicial sedition.
And we must call it what it is.
Not Treason by Law—But Treason by Design
Legally speaking, “treason” in the U.S. is narrowly defined. It involves levying war against the country or aiding a foreign enemy.
But there are many ways to wage war:
Some come with rifles.
Others with gavels.
This Court didn’t fire weapons.
It didn’t storm a building.
But it handed unchecked power to a man already convicted of 34 felonies—effectively crowning him above the law.
That is not just carelessness. It is constitutional sabotage.
Not treason by statute, perhaps—but treason by intent, by erosion, by design.
They may not bear arms—but they bear robes.
And the harm they sanction cuts just as deep.
So What Can Be Done? Yes—Impeachment Is on the Table
When the Supreme Court enables harm and violates its oath to uphold the Constitution, there is a remedy—however rare: impeachment.
Supreme Court justices, like all federal officials, can be impeached by Congress for:
“Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
While only one justice (Samuel Chase in 1804) has ever been impeached, the process remains a vital constitutional safeguard:
The House of Representatives can pass articles of impeachment by majority vote.
The Senate can convict and remove a justice by two-thirds vote.
Impeachment isn’t just about punishment. It’s about:
Restoring public trust
Affirming constitutional limits
Setting precedent for future accountability
Even if conviction is politically unlikely, raising the call for impeachment matters. It reminds the Court—and the country—that the people are watching. And that betrayal does not go unchallenged.
Reclaiming Care as a Civic Imperative
Care is not weakness.
It is the beating heart of democracy.
It is a refusal to turn away from pain, silence, or gaslighting.
To care in this moment is:
To speak truth to the systems harming us.
To demand accountability from those who wield power.
To protect what remains—and imagine what must be rebuilt.
We the People: 10 Actions You Can Take
Name the harm. Publicly. Repeatedly.
Educate others. Share the truth of this ruling.
Support court reform (ethics, term limits, expansion).
Demand legislative responses from your reps.
Support independent journalism that won’t look away.
Gather your community. Process together.
Register voters. Protect the vote.
Refuse to normalize authoritarianism.
Practice civic healing through art, protest, and ritual.
Be part of the weave—resist, reimagine, rebuild.
Still here. Still watching. Still weaving,
Mary
