Patrick De Klotz
@patdeklotz.bsky.social
Dad, Husband, Lawyer (not yours), Catholic. Opposed to Trump’s cruelty and lawlessness. There and Back Again (Oregon -> Spokane -> DC -> Oregon).
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
Happy to chat with the administration about the Nuremberg tribunals.
Including about the crime of enforced disappearance and the limits of the defense of superior orders.
Including about the crime of enforced disappearance and the limits of the defense of superior orders.
Hey look POTUS calling for military tribunals
November 24, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Happy to chat with the administration about the Nuremberg tribunals.
Including about the crime of enforced disappearance and the limits of the defense of superior orders.
Including about the crime of enforced disappearance and the limits of the defense of superior orders.
Hey look POTUS calling for military tribunals
November 24, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Hey look POTUS calling for military tribunals
I think it is safe to say that Rex Tillerson’s conclusion regarding the President was correct.
Trump didn’t read before posting:
“OUR AMERICAN CODE OF MILITARY OBEDIENCE REQUIRES THAT, SHOULD ORDERS AND THE LAW EVER CONFLICT, OUR OFFICERS MUST OBEY THE LAW.”
“OUR AMERICAN CODE OF MILITARY OBEDIENCE REQUIRES THAT, SHOULD ORDERS AND THE LAW EVER CONFLICT, OUR OFFICERS MUST OBEY THE LAW.”
November 24, 2025 at 1:33 AM
I think it is safe to say that Rex Tillerson’s conclusion regarding the President was correct.
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
She has it exactly backwards. The domestic deployments to date are a much weaker case for being so manifestly illegal as to justify refusal; that's a high bar. The boat strikes are outright unambiguous murder, everyone in that chain down to the one pulling the trigger has had a clear duty to refuse.
Sen. Slotkin said today—to my surprise—that she's unaware of any illegal orders *so far*.
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wee...
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wee...
November 24, 2025 at 12:24 AM
She has it exactly backwards. The domestic deployments to date are a much weaker case for being so manifestly illegal as to justify refusal; that's a high bar. The boat strikes are outright unambiguous murder, everyone in that chain down to the one pulling the trigger has had a clear duty to refuse.
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
I've compared the killing spree at sea w/ the torture program as both relied on OLC to provide a "get out of jail free" card.
But a big difference is the boat strikes are out in the open & thus legal scholars, former USG lawyers, & other countries are telling the USG in real time that it's illegal.
But a big difference is the boat strikes are out in the open & thus legal scholars, former USG lawyers, & other countries are telling the USG in real time that it's illegal.
Important aspect of the standard articulated in US v Calley & quoted here is that there is no defense of superior orders if the subordinate *knew* the order was unlawful.
Irregular lawyering in the admin (eg overriding SOUTHCOM SJA) & subsequent legal criticism ought to put officials on notice.
Irregular lawyering in the admin (eg overriding SOUTHCOM SJA) & subsequent legal criticism ought to put officials on notice.
“Trump has put the military in an impossible situation,” our columnist David French writes. “He’s making its most senior leaders complicit in his unlawful acts, and he’s burdening the consciences of soldiers who serve under his command.”
November 23, 2025 at 9:22 PM
I've compared the killing spree at sea w/ the torture program as both relied on OLC to provide a "get out of jail free" card.
But a big difference is the boat strikes are out in the open & thus legal scholars, former USG lawyers, & other countries are telling the USG in real time that it's illegal.
But a big difference is the boat strikes are out in the open & thus legal scholars, former USG lawyers, & other countries are telling the USG in real time that it's illegal.
Yeah, this was terrible.
Sen. Slotkin said today—to my surprise—that she's unaware of any illegal orders *so far*.
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wee...
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wee...
November 24, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Yeah, this was terrible.
Wife to 8yo: “swimming isn’t one of them. but you get lots of things from your dad.”
8yo: “like basketball.* And swearing.”
Me, muttering: “dammit”
*for his sake, let’s hope not
8yo: “like basketball.* And swearing.”
Me, muttering: “dammit”
*for his sake, let’s hope not
November 24, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Wife to 8yo: “swimming isn’t one of them. but you get lots of things from your dad.”
8yo: “like basketball.* And swearing.”
Me, muttering: “dammit”
*for his sake, let’s hope not
8yo: “like basketball.* And swearing.”
Me, muttering: “dammit”
*for his sake, let’s hope not
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
The Situation, Nov. 23, 2025: On Shame
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
November 24, 2025 at 12:03 AM
The Situation, Nov. 23, 2025: On Shame
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
Most accounts on Twitter turn out to be Russian MAGA bots. Here’s why Bluesky has an intellectual diversity problem
November 23, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Most accounts on Twitter turn out to be Russian MAGA bots. Here’s why Bluesky has an intellectual diversity problem
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
We had a system that was very far from perfect but was making everyone better off! These people are working their way up, and we were getting the immediate benefits of their labor! And now we're ruining lives and making everything worse to indulge the racist hangups of the worst people in America!
November 23, 2025 at 11:25 PM
We had a system that was very far from perfect but was making everyone better off! These people are working their way up, and we were getting the immediate benefits of their labor! And now we're ruining lives and making everything worse to indulge the racist hangups of the worst people in America!
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
This would be appalling in any context and for any victim, but the fact that they're invading a commercial kitchen to drag someone off who came here to work their ass over a hot stove to make native-born restaurant-goers a little more comfortable and well off really shows how negative sum this is
November 23, 2025 at 11:23 PM
This would be appalling in any context and for any victim, but the fact that they're invading a commercial kitchen to drag someone off who came here to work their ass over a hot stove to make native-born restaurant-goers a little more comfortable and well off really shows how negative sum this is
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
Also, Natalie Harp.
www.thecut.com/article/nata...
www.thecut.com/article/nata...
Trump’s ‘Human Printer’ Is Somehow Weirder Than You Thought
Apparently she spent last summer living in a golf-club locker room to be close to him.
www.thecut.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Also, Natalie Harp.
www.thecut.com/article/nata...
www.thecut.com/article/nata...
November 23, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
Yes, it’s pretty well reported on. Natalie Harp is the pipeline to Trump for this crap getting to him.
November 23, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Yes, it’s pretty well reported on. Natalie Harp is the pipeline to Trump for this crap getting to him.
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
I remember when a presidential candidate calling 1/3 of the other's supporters deplorables (generously underestimating) was enough to stop the presses for weeks on end. Now he openly calls all who oppose him 'domestic terrorists' and it doesn't even get a mention.
November 23, 2025 at 10:07 PM
I remember when a presidential candidate calling 1/3 of the other's supporters deplorables (generously underestimating) was enough to stop the presses for weeks on end. Now he openly calls all who oppose him 'domestic terrorists' and it doesn't even get a mention.
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
These must be "the great legal minds" Trump says are informing him on this topic.
November 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM
These must be "the great legal minds" Trump says are informing him on this topic.
Do reporters ever ask how the insane posts of randos end up on the President’s feed? These aren’t replies to him. Beck’s tags him, but the others don’t. What is the pipeline for getting this crap to the President?
November 23, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Do reporters ever ask how the insane posts of randos end up on the President’s feed? These aren’t replies to him. Beck’s tags him, but the others don’t. What is the pipeline for getting this crap to the President?
“He’s a businessman, not a politician, he doesn’t get that you can’t just execute your political opponents for treason. People like him because he says what he thinks and tells it like it is”
November 23, 2025 at 9:48 PM
“He’s a businessman, not a politician, he doesn’t get that you can’t just execute your political opponents for treason. People like him because he says what he thinks and tells it like it is”
"What was the tipping point for when America became a dictatorship grandpa?"
"Well some of our elected representatives told people not to break the law if the President ordered it and the President went insane about it."
"Well some of our elected representatives told people not to break the law if the President ordered it and the President went insane about it."
November 23, 2025 at 9:41 PM
"What was the tipping point for when America became a dictatorship grandpa?"
"Well some of our elected representatives told people not to break the law if the President ordered it and the President went insane about it."
"Well some of our elected representatives told people not to break the law if the President ordered it and the President went insane about it."
So I see the President is insane-posting again.
November 23, 2025 at 9:26 PM
So I see the President is insane-posting again.
Reposted by Patrick De Klotz
Kilmar Abrego Garcia's lawyers inform a federal judge about the Washington Post's bombshell: The government's claim that Costa Rica will no longer accept Abrego has been exposed as a lie.
More evidence—"if any were needed"—of vindictive prosecution.
Doc storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
More evidence—"if any were needed"—of vindictive prosecution.
Doc storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 23, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Kilmar Abrego Garcia's lawyers inform a federal judge about the Washington Post's bombshell: The government's claim that Costa Rica will no longer accept Abrego has been exposed as a lie.
More evidence—"if any were needed"—of vindictive prosecution.
Doc storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
More evidence—"if any were needed"—of vindictive prosecution.
Doc storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
The President’s definition of a ”great legal scholar” is “whoever he can find that tells him what he wants to hear”
President insists his word is the one and only law in this land.
November 23, 2025 at 9:22 PM
The President’s definition of a ”great legal scholar” is “whoever he can find that tells him what he wants to hear”