No matter what, we have to tear down Trump’s corrupt ballroom

Last Friday, the Supreme Court issued an administrative stay allowing President Trump to continue building his ballroom on the White House grounds while the court deals with the legal challenge to the ballroom.

Now, I have to say that this doesn't make any sense.

The purpose of an administrative stay is to maintain the legal status quo.

The legal status quo is that the president cannot unilaterally construct new buildings on the White House grounds.

The legal status quo is that Congress must both authorize new building and spending for that building.

The legal status quo is that the president cannot solicit private donations in order to avoid congressional authorization and even subvert Congress's intentions.

I remind you that that was basically the scandal of Iran-Contra.

It was the executive branch trying to skirt around Congress's prohibition on aid to the Contras in Nicaragua by selling arms to Iran through an intermediary and channeling that money back to the Contras.

You can't do that in soliciting private donations to build a ballroom.

is that in the abstract sense.

It's that in form, if not the literal thing.

That's the legal status quo.

So an administrative stay should be, oh, you can't build this.

This has to be on pause while we consider it.

And then if we rule in your favor, you can continue.

And if we don't, then you gotta tear it down.