BREAKING: JD Vance Lays the Groundwork to Eliminate the Separation of Powers

This is an extremely dangerous time in America, and a special report is warranted.

I originally planned on waiting until this evening to provide you with a news update as per usual, but Vice President JD Vance just released a tweet that requires a special, midday report. In a new tweet on his campaign account, Vance, for the first time, began laying the groundwork to eliminate the separation of powers in the United States of America. Don’t believe me? Read it for yourself:

My job as a journalist isn’t just to report the news as I did above. It’s to also provide context to what the news means. And so, I am going to put my legal hat on here as well to provide you with a legal perspective analyzing exactly how dangerous Vance’s tweet is. Before I continue, my work is fully funded by you. If you want to support my work and receive access to subscriber-only content (including our first paid-subscriber only live this Tuesday at 9 PM EST), click the button below and upgrade:

The United States of America has a clear separation of powers between its three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. A central tenant of the separation of powers is that one branch may not overreach and do the job of another. The judiciary is responsible for interpreting law, the legislative is responsible for creating law, and the executive is responsible for enforcing law. Each branch is granted specific powers and responsibilities, ensuring that no single branch becomes too powerful or oversteps its constitutional bounds. This division fosters a system of checks and balances, where each branch can limit the power of the others, creating a balance that protects individual liberties and ensures the rule of law.

The executive branch, led by the President, is primarily responsible for enforcing laws and overseeing the administration of the government. However, the executive is not above the law. The judicial branch, composed of courts and judges, holds the crucial role of interpreting the laws and ensuring that they align with the Constitution. The principle of judicial review, established by landmark cases like Marbury v. Madison, allows the courts to strike down laws and executive actions that they find unconstitutional. This means that the executive branch cannot simply disregard or overrule judicial decisions; instead, it must abide by the interpretations of the law as determined by the judicial branch.

When figures like Vice President JD Vance suggest that the executive branch has the ability to disregard the judiciary, it poses a direct threat to the principles of democratic governance and the rule of law. Such a notion undermines the role of the judiciary as a check on the powers of the executive. If the executive branch were allowed to ignore court decisions, it would lead to a concentration of unchecked power in the hands of the President or other executive officials, eroding the safeguards designed to protect citizens' rights and freedoms. This could set a dangerous precedent where political power dictates the law, undermining the impartiality and independence of the judiciary, which is crucial to maintaining fairness in a democratic society.

The idea of disregarding judicial rulings also risks destabilizing the rule of law, which is central to the functioning of any democracy. It encourages the erosion of trust in legal institutions and could embolden other branches to act outside their constitutional roles, creating a dangerous cycle of unchecked authority. By suggesting that the executive branch can act above judicial decisions, JD Vance is advocating for a system where the government could become more authoritarian, with fewer protections for citizens and less accountability for those in power. Such rhetoric not only threatens the separation of powers but also undermines the very principles that safeguard the rights of individuals and ensure justice in a democratic society.

I am not going to stop this work, no matter what the Trump Administration does. Holding political leaders accountable is a key part of the free press’ job in our nation. And, that’s exactly what I plan on continuing to do. Comment below and let me know if you have any questions. I will be back this evening for an evening update.

Aaron