Trump says he will follow the rule of law!

Wow! Talk about the ultimate “man bites dog” story.

Le Grand Orange on Thursday abandoned his quest to place a question about citizenship on the 2020 census.

He was really backed into a corner because his own people pressed the courts for a hasty decision based on the need to start printing immediately, then had to hem and haw for more time when the decision went against them and Trump tweeted that he would keep the case alive. The Supreme Court basically ruled that the administration’s reason for adding the question was, in the legalistic words of one justice, “one whoppin’ motherfucker of a lie.” OK, they actually said it was “contrived,” but whoppin’, pants-on-fire mofo is what they obviously meant. They would have said that, but Supreme Court justices just aren’t allowed to talk like Samuel L Jackson.

OK, except for Ginsberg.

But, man, would the Supreme Court be more fun if Samuel L Jackson really were the next nominee! Talk about some colorful opinions!

Anyway, the courts thus basically told Trump’s lawyers, “Look, we know you’re lyin’, but we’re gonna cut you some slack and just say you need to refine your argument. But don’t come back here with any more bullshit, or else.” The other federal judges kinda chimed in with “If you come back again, you also better be ready to explain why you lied to us about that deadline last time.”

Now Trump never backs down from a lie. His instinct is to double down and tell a bigger one. Trump’s infamous tweet showed that he wanted to pursue the case, but several of the DoJ lawyers then saw the writing on the wall and wanted out before the judges could hold them in contempt. If the lawyers continued to drag it out, it would prove that they had lied about the deadline. If the lawyers offered a new justification, it would prove that they lied about the original reasons they offered. Lying before the Supreme Court will not do wonders for a lawyer’s credibility, so the government lawyers saw that they were fucked, no matter what they did.

The administration tried one more dodge. If those lawyers were backed into a corner, how about asking the courts to add a completely new legal team? The courts saw that for the obvious scam that it was.

I have to admit that I am surprised by today’s twist. I figured Trump, being advised there was no path through the judiciary, would still refuse to lose the battle, and therefore would probably defy the courts with an executive order. After all, common sense is not normally his strong suit

In this case he fooled me and did use common sense. He showed the Supreme Court some respect. Perhaps he decided that discretion was the better part of valor in this case, since he doesn’t want the Supreme Court hostile to him. He’s going to need them on his side in the future, especially Roberts, who would preside over an impeachment trial in the Senate.