During a winding February 15 press conference in the Rose Garden in which he declared a national emergency to fund a wall at the southern border, President Donald Trump (somewhat melodically) predicted a winding legal battle ahead of him, leading all the way up to the Supreme Court.
Now, 16 states have taken the first step in making his prediction come true.
California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia have filed a joint suit in San Francisco's Federal District Court alleging that the President manufactured a national crisis in an effort to gain funds without Congressional approval.
In fewer words, that's exactly what he said he did.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra cited the President's own words in the Rose Garden as evidence, telling the New York Times: “Probably the best evidence is the president’s own words.”
Most damningly, the President said when announcing the national emergency declaration on Friday:
"I could do the wall over a longer period of time...I didn’t need to do this, but I’d rather do it much faster.”
For many, the statement deflated the insistence of the President that there exists a crisis at the southern border which warrants an emergency.
The statement is now referenced in the lawsuit filed by the 16 states.
There it is. On Page 30 of the lawsuit against Trump's emergency declaration is Trump's line from Friday, "I didn't… https://t.co/I1tQUkCCHk— Kyle Griffin (@Kyle Griffin) 1550541609.0
From the moment Trump said the words, many believed he'd have to defend them in court, so they were surprised it took 30 pages before the suit mentioned them.
@kylegriffin1 It should've been on the first line in the lawsuit if that's possible.— Team Deep State #HuskerNation #AnyDem2020 (@Team Deep State #HuskerNation #AnyDem2020) 1550541706.0
@kylegriffin1 Buried the lede.— Sleepy Kath (@Sleepy Kath) 1550542110.0
@kylegriffin1 @mattbc It took 30 pages to get there??— Diana Banana (@Diana Banana) 1550543585.0
@kylegriffin1 You knew it was going to be there. I’m surprised it wasn’t on page one.— Angry Sage (@Angry Sage) 1550541652.0
@kylegriffin1 Um, why not in first sentence on page 1?— MakeAmericaSaneAgain (@MakeAmericaSaneAgain) 1550551627.0
But the point is that it's there.
To many, the words were a nail in the coffin that perfectly illustrated why there was no national emergency. The President admitted there wasn't at a press conference designed to convince the public that there was.
At least it's an on-brand move for Donald Trump.
@kylegriffin1 Every time I see a reference to that quote, it makes me laugh at how stupid Trump is.— 💙Rowan McCullen💙 All Trumps Are Sh!t (@💙Rowan McCullen💙 All Trumps Are Sh!t) 1550541877.0
@kylegriffin1 He needs to find a new line of work. He is just so incredibly inept at this one. 🤡— Jeanne Miller 🐉 (@Jeanne Miller 🐉) 1550541729.0
@kylegriffin1 He is his own worst enemy 😂— Feral Shouting Yam (@Feral Shouting Yam) 1550541669.0
@kylegriffin1 He truly is an idiot , I love it when he shoots himself in the foot 😂— ✌🏻JustSayin' 🇺🇸 (@✌🏻JustSayin' 🇺🇸) 1550541663.0
Stable genius, indeed.