Musk poured a ton of money, time, and energy into this race
In particular, the race was seen as a test of Musk’s political sway, as his super PAC, America PAC, alone spent more than $12 million to support Schimel. He also traveled to Wisconsin the Sunday before the election, where he handed out $1 million checks to voters who had signed his petition against “activist judges.”
Trump doesn’t care about the difference between state and judicial courts. I don’t think Musk does either.
Did they hope this election went their way? Sure, that’s why they spent pocket change on the election. But they don’t care about the structure of courts in America. This was just a nice to have.
Musk spending $25 million and also reduces his grip on congressional Republicans
They have been worried about him funding challangers against them. If he can spend this kind of money and heavier time investment and still lose badly, that reduces a motivation to go along with him
But this doesn’t really have anything go do with my original point. I think Trump fully intends to disregard whatever court goes against him. State or federal.
State courts can carry out arrests and penalties themselves without federal government involvement
Primarily in the context of Musk that’s going to matter with his active cases in the WI court
Other states governments can extradite him too even if he never steps foot in Wisconsin. He’d have to basically never go anywhere other than federal territories or deep red state to avoid that. That’s assuming they’d block his extradition in the first place which is quite rare to begin with
Only if the stormtroopers want to. What do you think they’ll do ?
Plenty of states are directly rubuking Trump right now and actively going against what he’s telling them to do. We don’t have to imagine them enforcing things that they don’t want. Many are already doing just as much
Statewide dem parties have been better at standing up than much of the national dems have
NY still has the congestion prices going despite his demand they pull it
Maine’s governor is not bowing to Trump’s demands on trans rights even after direct in person confrontation
And so on
I think if it gets to that point, it might be a legit civil war. But I could see Trump enforcing his “laws” in a state against their will and daring the state to retaliate against his federal police.
I’d guess there would be an executive order related to “free and fair elections” but also giving Trump power to affect elections. State courts will say no, federal police will disregard.