The Cracks in America’s Rule of Law Are Getting Deeper
Court battles over the administration’s sweeping use of executive power are exposing limits on how much judges can constrain the presidency.
Illustration: Diego Mallo for Bloomberg
US District Judge Myong Joun needed 88 pages to lay out his conclusions on two lawsuits accusing President Donald Trump of violating federal law by trying to shut down the Department of Education. Over the course of 30,000 words, the Boston-based judge said the administration’s plans, including the firing of 1,378 workers, would leave the agency unable to fulfill the functions Congress required when it created the department in 1979.
“The record abundantly reveals that defendants’ true intention is to effectively dismantle the department without an authorizing statute,” the 2023 Joe Biden appointee wrote.