My one-time lawyer, Constitutional expert John Sims, points out that Trump’s gloating response to the federal judge’s decision this morning not to try to stop distribution of Bolton’s book simply confirms the administration’s contempt for First Amendment values.
Trump tweeted (10:40 am):
“BIG COURT WIN against Bolton. Obviously, with the book already given out and leaked to many people and the media, nothing the highly respected Judge could have done about stopping it…BUT, strong & powerful statements & rulings on MONEY & on BREAKING CLASSIFICATION were made….”
Trump’s concession that “obviously” the book couldn’t be stopped since it’s already publicly available proves the administration knew all along its attempt to block distribution was just cheap political theater.
No Attorney General, no President with an ounce of respect for the Constitution would try to get a judge to impose prior restraint on a book’s release — the most grievous offense against the First Amendment – when there’s not even a practical rationale. This is further proof that Trump and his cronies in the Justice Department will play games with the most precious of our freedoms simply to score brownie points with his most fascistic followers.