Notable Quotable: Clara Shortridge Foltz On Crime

“Every lawyer knows that hundreds of arrests are made for no other purpose than to worry, harass, annoy, disgrace socially and bring financial disaster upon the accused. Under this system, trials cease to be judicial inquiries with a view to justice and become acrimonious contests of men striving for verdicts. The forum degenerates into an arena and loses its dignity and sanctity.”

— Clara Shortridge Foltz, from a speech given on August 8, 1893 to the General Committee of The World’s Congress Auxiliary on Jurisprudence and Law Reform

Since his return to office, our president's administration has used the justice system to file troubling legal actions against political opponents for the purpose of intimidation, retaliation, or silencing critics.

As these actions wind their way through the courts, Americans can cheer or boo with each verdict.

Though some refer to such trials as "lawfare"—a kind of warfare that grips the nation's attention—it more closely resembles a tired juggler struggling to keep all his balls in the air.

As this administration's 2024 campaign promise to seek “retribution” against political rivals continues, any effort to make America great again has quickly degenerated into ICE Capades, ballroom construction, and heavy redactions of the Epstein files.

We should be asking, who are the winners here?