Sheldon Whitehouse: “I will call this my ``let's say'' speech. Lawyers know what a hypothetical is. We will talk about some hypotheticals…”

“I will call this my ``let's say'' speech. Lawyers know what a hypothetical is. We will talk about some hypotheticals related to the scheme to capture the Court. Let's say, Mr. President, that you are a creepy billionaire and it is your plan to capture and control the Supreme Court, to take it over just like 19th-century robber barons would have taken over and captured the railroad commission that set the rates for their own railroad. Let's say you sent millions of dollars--secret dollars--to the Federalist Society for it to funnel money to its employee and your operative, Leonard Leo. Let's say that Leonard Leo got his cred with you and your rightwing billionaire pals when he helped you kill the nomination to the Supreme Court of President George W. Bush's friend and White House Counsel Harriet Miers-- a political hit job from the far right against a Republican President's nominee, which produced none other than Sam Alito. Let's say you also sent millions of dollars to Leonard Leo's Judicial Crisis Network, a fictitious-named front group for another front group operating out of the same hallway, on the same floor, in the same building as the Federalist Society. Let's say you sent the Judicial Crisis Network secret millions of dollars--checks as big as $15 million, checks as big as $17 million--to run ads against Merrick Garland to help Mitch McConnell block his confirmation by the Senate.…”