Tuesday, July 1, 2025

ALTERT: Look closely, the 'Big Beautiful Bill' is also an attack on the rule of law

In President Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”--buried in Section 70302 of the legislation— is a provision that would severely restrict federal courts’ authority to hold government officials in contempt if they violate judicial orders, reports the Campaign Legal Center.

A court’s ability to hold bad actors in contempt is a vital enforcement power that judges can use to compel compliance with their rulings.

When somebody chooses to violate a court order, the judge who issued the ruling has a few different options to force them to comply, including holding them in contempt and issuing sanctions, fines, or even jail time until the order is followed.

But the reconciliation bill would require anyone suing the government to pay a bond before the court can use its contempt power to enforce injunctions or restraining orders meant to halt illegal actions.

By restricting this authority, the House bill threatens the power of the judicial branch. On its own, that represents an attack on the rule of law and the separation of powers that underlies our democracy. But in the context of our current political moment, a more specific goal is unfortunately clear. 

Courts have already ruled at least 170 times against the Trump administration, including a preliminary injunction sought by CLC that halted Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to change the rules for federal elections. In response to many of these rulings, the president has resisted compliance and waged intimidation campaigns targeting the judges responsible.

In light of all this, the House bill seems squarely and unacceptably focused on shielding the Trump administration from accountability when it breaks the law. 

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