Conservative retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig, a significant adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, voiced his concern on Wednesday, asserting that the Republican Party has effectively dissolved.
He also claimed that former President Donald Trump poses an even greater threat compared to the aftermath of the 2020 election.
In an interview with CNN’s Poppy Harlow on “CNN This Morning,” Luttig emphasized the importance of a balanced political landscape for a functioning American democracy.
He stated that there is no viable Republican Party that can counterbalance the Democratic Party, putting the nation’s democratic structure in jeopardy.
“American democracy simply cannot function without two equally healthy and equally strong political parties. So today, in my view, there is no Republican Party to counter the Democratic Party in the country,” Luttig said in a statement.
Luttig, renowned for his conservative credentials and deep-rooted associations with the Supreme Court, has become increasingly outspoken about his criticisms of the GOP. He decried the party’s spineless stance in June for its continued support of Trump.
Luttig explained that a political party traditionally comprises individuals who share common values, principles, and policy viewpoints about the United States.
“A political party is a collection and assemblage of individuals who share a set of beliefs and principles and policy views about the United States of America. Today, there is no such shared set of beliefs and values and principles or even policy views as within the Republican Party for America,” he argued.
Moreover, Luttig rejected the claims that Trump’s speech should be shielded under the First Amendment. He argued that the former President is being charged for his actions, not his words, making a First Amendment defense invalid.
Responding to the idea that Trump genuinely believed he had won the election, Luttig refuted this defense based on the overwhelming evidence proving otherwise. He emphasized that the standard is whether a reasonable person could have believed Trump’s claim in light of the substantial contradictory evidence.
Luttig played a pivotal role as a witness during the January 6 committee hearings and enjoyed a reputation as a prominent “feeder judge” on the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Notably, 45 of his 47 clerks went on to serve as clerks for justices on the Supreme Court.
