Real Time host Bill Maher skewered Republican Rep. Byron Donalds over his attempt to defend President Donald Trump’s rapidly mounting slew of unconstitutional orders.
In a panel discussion with Maher and Puck journalist Tara Palmeri, Donalds suggested that Trump deserved brownie points for not hiding his intent in comparison to previous administrations.
“Donald Trump didn’t hide the ball on this. He was very clear about what he was going to do. The American people voted for him and now he’s doing it well,” said Donalds.
Maher, however, was having none of it. “He’s doing it extra legally, wouldn’t you agree?” he shot back. “Extra—and when I say ‘extra,’ I don’t mean like, ‘Hey, it’s extra!’—Am I wrong about that? That is where we’re sort of skipping over these three branches of government part.”
Palmeri added that Trump has been “testing the limits of the executive branch” over the past few weeks—from vengeful purges of DOJ and FBI staff to attempts to ban birthright citizenship and dismantle the U.S. government’s international aid agency, USAID.
“He is trying to see as much as he can get away with, and really the only thing stopping him right now are the courts,” said Palmeri. “But I think he sees his DoJ and his FBI, his attorney general as his executioners, and he is going to tell them what to do and they will carry out those tasks that they’ve already started.”
Donalds attempted to push back at Maher and Palmeri’s characterization of Trump’s first weeks in office, bringing up the Biden administration.
“The Biden administration operated literally in the shadows,” Byrons said. “At least Donald Trump puts it out in the litany of orders that come out that day.”
Maher shot back, “We’re criminals, but we’re announcing it!”
On the heels of Donalds’ Real Time with Bill Maher appearance, Punch Bowl reported that the congressman may have violated ethics rules by having someone else proxy vote for him on Friday so he could make it to Maher.
