Misrule of Law

The Left finds its heroes and idols in the most unusual places.

Thanks to the Tennessee Star (here) and Ace of Spades HQ (here)!

I drove to Nashville last Thursday morning to attend an evidentiary hearing in federal court being held to determine if Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the El Salvadoran national, illegal alien, alleged MS-13 gang member, and accused wife-beater whose deportation was ordered reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court could—now that he is back in the U.S.–be prosecuted for human trafficking, for which a federal grand jury in Nashville had indicted him last year. The charges arose from a traffic stop in Middle Tennessee in November 2022 in which the Tennessee Highway Patrol pulled over the van Abrego Garcia was driving for speeding on I-40, to discover the vehicle was crammed full of non-English speaking passengers allegedly being transported en route from St. Louis to Maryland– without luggage—for a construction job. Even though Abrego Garcia had no valid driver’s license, and the vehicle itself was registered to another illegal alien who had been convicted of human trafficking, the FBI (under President Biden) told the THP to let the van proceed.

Open borders, after all. All of this was first reported in the award-winning Tennessee Star, on whose behalf I was attending the hearing.

Even though Abrego Garcia’s deportation has stalled (due to the rogue rulings of a federal judge in Maryland), he can still be prosecuted for crimes he committed while illegally in the U.S., such as human trafficking. Abrego Garcia’s large, well-funded, and energetic legal team has moved to dismiss the human trafficking indictment on the grounds of “vindictive prosecution.” His lawyers do not dispute the underlying facts, nor the validity of the grand jury indictment obtained based on the incriminating November 2022 traffic stop, and additional witness testimony (including that of the van owner, who hired Abrego Garcia to assist in the ongoing conspiracy to transport illegal aliens), cell phone records, and license plate reader data showing that Abrego Garcia lied to the THP about where the trip had originated (Texas, not St. Louis). On the merits, the federal government has an open-and-shut case.

Yet Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw is considering whether to dismiss serious charges against Abrego Garcia—the reason for the evidentiary hearing on February 26.

All this was swirling in the back of my mind as I drove to Nashville. I got to the federal courthouse early on Thursday because I was uncertain what traffic and parking difficulties I would face. As I approached the empty plaza in front of  the Fred D. Thompson Courthouse downtown, I noticed a large phalanx of photographers and video cameras set up outside. The plaza was otherwise empty; at 8:15 am, the courthouse was not yet open for business. I asked one of the paparazzi: “Why are you here?” The solemn response was “Kilmar Abrego Garcia will be appearing this morning.” An imminent celebrity sighting, in other words. And not just any celebrity. The fabled “Maryland Man,” whom Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen had visited during Abrego Garcia’s brief sojourn in El Salvador, is no longer in custody and would be making a personal appearance, right here in Nashville!

The reverent tone was similar to one of a worshipper making a pilgrimage to Lourdes (or Fatima, or Medjugorje in Bosnia) in the hope of seeing a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I realized then that this event was more than a court hearing; for the Left, it was A Sacred Moment–a religious experience. A thuggish illegal alien criminal has been transformed into an unfairly persecuted icon–now canonized–and his followers (disciples?) were hoping to see him in the flesh. Once inside the building, before Judge Crenshaw’s courtroom doors opened for the 9:00 a.m. hearing, I asked a woman waiting in line to enter why she was there (since she was not wearing a press pass). With a grave expression, she responded “Because it is one of the most important cases in the country.” This is veneration bordering on adulation. What gives?

The spiritually-empty anti-ICE crowd desperately wants to feel the moral virtue enjoyed by the Freedom Riders and civil rights activists in the 1960s. The clashes in Selma and Montgomery are long over, but a cohort of 20- and 30-something activists (especially women) want to cosplay as if they were part of that movement. So they have adopted Abrego Garcia as a saintly figure equivalent to Rosa Parks, or even the slain MLK Jr., forgetting that Abrego Garcia is simply a criminal–a vile person and an illegal alien.

But, to members of the Resistance, Abrego Garcia is a sacred symbol of The Cause, just as George Floyd was (and is) regarded as a martyred saint. Lacking any other heroes, the deluded cultists of the Left display a fervid–quasi-religious–devotion to whomever The Cause  designates as an object of veneration. The exceptional zeal displayed by the anti-ICE crowd—the fanatics who regard Abrego Garcia’s mundane legal proceedings as “one of the most important cases in the country”–channels the righteousness of radical protesters of the Vietnam War. Opposition to evil, in their judgment, justifies any means necessary to accomplish the end, just as the Weathermen and other terrorist organizations took extreme measure such as planting bombs and killing law enforcement officers.

TDS plays a role also.

Abrego Garcia’s court-ordered return to the U.S. after being deported to El Salvador (where he is a citizen) is regarded as a “miracle” warranting his sainthood. Never mind that Abrego Garcia was adjudged to be deportable, and the supposed “error” was sending him back to the “wrong” country. Enforcement of federal immigration laws is viewed as a form of “persecution.”

My observations in Judge Crenshaw’s courtroom:

Large defense team far outnumbering the federal prosecutors.

Large entourage of supporters (CASA and otherwise).

Ridiculous premise for the hearing (and the motion to dismiss): Why are you prosecuting the saint? The obvious answer is “Because he is clearly guilty of a federal crime!”

Waste of time. Five-hour hearing. Two credible witnesses. No contradictory evidence. Pure speculation that “someone” in the Trump administration (Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi, Steven Miller, Tom Homan, etc.) gave the order.

But what if Abrego Garcia is guilty as sin? As he plainly is? We are supposed to ignore that and PRETEND that he is a victim? Why?  

Because it is a “holy cause” to his zealous, devout followers. True believers, to be sure, but believers in what?

The anti-American, hate-your-country, knee-jerk opposition to anything President Trump does, or that reflects a desire to protect and defend our national sovereignty.