Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith posted to X/Twitter Tuesday night his belief that the executive branch of givernment can simply ignore the judicial branch if the executive disagrees with a court's ruling. Screenshot
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is doubling-down on his assertion that the executive branch of government can simply ignore the judicial branch if the executive disagrees with a court's ruling.
The Republican, who would immediately become Indiana's governor if Gov. Mike Braun — who turns 71 Monday — is unable to finish his four-year term for any reason, posted to X/Twitter Tuesday night his belief that Republican President Donald Trump is entitled to do absolutely anything if Trump believes he's defending the nation.
"President Trump is doing EXACTLY what the Constitution empowers him to do — and the activist judges are losing their minds!" Beckwith proclaimed.
Beckwith's remarks were inspired by Trump deporting to an El Salvador prison some 200 people. Trump alleged are part of a Venezuelan gang that "invaded" the United States, notwithstanding a federal court order halting the flights.
Trump claimed his authority to deport the individuals, without due process or any proof they actually belong to the gang, was based on a 1798 law that's only previously been invoked during congressionally declared wars.
Beckwith, a self-described Christian nationalist who lacks a law degree, said his reading of the Alien Enemies Act "gives the president explicit power to remove dangerous foreign nationals when our safety is at risk. PERIOD."
"But what do these black-robed tyrants do? They ignore the law, ignore the Constitution and try to rule like kings. Well, Trump just gave them a reminder: In America, the PEOPLE rule — not activist judges drunk on power," Beckwith said.
Records show federal judges across the country, appointed by presidents of both political parties, have issued more than a dozen preliminary injunctions or temporary restraining orders halting the execution of Trump executive orders issued over the past two months on topics ranging from the firing of thousands of government employees to freezing trillions of dollars in federal spending, various immigration-related issues and the ceding of authority to businessman Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
Rather than asking whether Trump's directives perhaps exceed his authority as president, Beckwith said it's the judges attempting to reconcile the president's orders with the Constitution, federal law and precedent who are behaving as "dictators."
"THIS is how you protect the republic: by standing on the Constitution and refusing to bow to unelected, unaccountable elites. Our Founders didn't fight a revolution for judges to become dictators in black robes. They gave us a system where the President DEFENDS the nation — and Trump is doing exactly that," Beckwith said.
Beckwith's latest attack on the judiciary comes one week after he insisted the Indiana Department of Correction should "absolutely ignore" a federal court order concerning prison inmate health care that Beckwith disagreed with because the inmate is transgender.
So far, the governor and the attorney general appear to be following the traditional channel of appealing court rulings they disagree with, rather than condemning the constitutionally prescribed role of the judiciary.
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