In yesterday’s DM, I made reference to Leonard Leo which one must always do if one is talking about the unsupreme court and its bevy of unjustices. His presence has been all-pervasive for years in the fashioning of the court and ensuring that the christofascist values he and Opus Dei embody are well represented there.
Leo has been vice president and also co-chair of the Federalist Society, and Trump promised in 2016 that all his nominees for SCOTUS would be “picked by the Federalist Society.” Yet those in the know tell us that the list of nominees ultimately “was devised by Leo alone.”*
Leo was in the news lately, when Senator Sheldon Whitehouse invoked him in his powerful critique of dark money in American politics. He writes: It’s a trifecta: dark money is behind climate denial, Court capture and corruption of Congress—one crew, one plan, one cancer in the body politic.** All this came about with the passing of the Citizens United decision by John Roberts’ Supreme Court.
Dark money has provided a “filthy bestiary of influence” since that time. Dark money is the “massive anonymous political spending by special interests” who hide their identifies from the public. Voters become less important in deciding political outcomes and “the big secret spenders” become more important. Polling is off the charts to restrict this kind of dark money—republicans as well as independents and democrats are against it.
Whitehouse points out that before Citizens United, climate change was a bipartisan issue (in 2008 McCain included it in his platform), but fossil-fuel dark money killed that bipartisanship. The “amenable” justices on the Supreme Court –including for sure chief justice John Roberts–were captured by a dark-money operation funded by “creepy polluter billionaires and managed by their creepy minion Leonard Leo.”
Thanks to the Heritage Foundation, the Supreme Court members are instructed on what to do to keep dark money flowing.
Recently a DM reader asked me to share more about Leonard Leo, this important billionaire who appears in photos with Clarence Thomas and his Texan sugar daddy on a number of occasions and who nominated all six far right supreme court unjustices. So we will be sharing some previous DMs that feature Leo and his theocratic philosophy and Opus Dei view of the world in tomorrow’s DM.
* Heidi Przybyla, “Leonard Leo used Federalist Society contact to obtain $1.6B donation.” Politico.com, 5/2/2023.
** Meteor Blades, “Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse tells it like it is: ‘one crew, one plan, one cancer in the body politic.'” Daily Kos, 7/2/2024.
See Matthew Fox, “Opus Dei,” in Fox, The Pope’s War: Why Ratzinger’s Secret Crusade Has Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved, pp. 106-124.
And Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society.
Banner Image: “Dark Money.” Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash
Queries for Contemplation
Do you recognize the Citizens United decision as being decisive in the gradual undoing of democracy and turning government over to dark money big shots like Whitehouse proposes?
Recommended Reading
The Pope’s War: Why Ratzinger’s Secret Crusade Has Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved
The Pope’s War offers a provocative look at three decades of corruption in the Catholic Church, focusing on Josef Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI. The final section in the book focuses on birthing a truly catholic Christianity.
“This book should be read by everybody, not only for its ferocious courage, but also for its vision for what needs to be saved from the destructive forces that threaten authentic Christianity.” ~ Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope.
“In the gripping The Pope’s War, Matthew Fox takes an unwavering look at the layers of corruption in the Catholic Church, holding moral truth against power.” — Jason Berry, author of Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics
5 thoughts on “Senator Whitehouse on SCOTUS-Maker, “Creepy Leonard Leo””
Yes!!! Matthew, in the Spirit of Truth and Justice, you and your DM team, like Rachel Maddox and her MSNBC team, are exposing some of the ongoing history and sources of the right wing conservative Christo-fascist individuals and groups that are corrupting American society (the Republican Party, our ‘Unsupreme Court’, and Donald Trump being the primary examples) towards authoritarian dictatorship and destroying Democracy. Many Americans are brainwashed by these dark forces and individuals (like Leonard Leo and many American billionaires), Trump’s cult mindless followers and Republican congressional ‘leaders’ being the primary examples. No wonder many progressive and societal leaders and experts are warning that this November’s presidential and congressional elections are an existential turning point for American society. May God’s Spirit of Love, Truth, Peace, Justice, and Strength guide us all, because world society and earth will also be affected…
AMEN
I think that there have always been behind the scenes forces, like the oil barons of the 19th century, that buy political favors and politicians–and presidencies like the one Joe Kennedy paid for. The difference seems to be that now the corruption is out there and firmly institutionalized and normalized–no need any more for backroom maneuvering; when excesses are reported, there seems to be a huge yawn from the majority–just business as usual. We need to use all of our spiritual strength to keep on speaking the truth to power.
Yes. We knew when Citizens United was handed down that it could undo democracy, and it has been doing just that—will do even more so unless the Democrats win the White House again this year. But I have another thought after listening to Chris Hayes explain what Leonard Leo wants to do next ( i.e., indoctrinate school teachers, children, and all the rest; indoctrinate corporations; indoctrinate other cultural institutions to his radical right-wing views). I now realize why the extreme right wing of the Republican party keeps talking as if LGBTQ+ people want to indoctrinate children to “their lifestyle,” as if it is a lifestyle and not a quality of their birth. Once again, we are simply seeing projection. Projection on the part of parents at school board meetings. Projection on the part of the Federalist Society. Projection on the part of too many Americans. Leo indicates in one of Hayes’ video clips that that (indoctrination) is their next master plan—to indoctrinate others to their narrow view of the human experience. I wish people would begin to understand what you, Sheldon Whitehouse, Chris Hayes, and others have been shouting from the rooftops—the danger this little man and his minions pose.
Wisdom 6:1-11
Good News Translation
The Responsibility of Rulers
6 So then, you kings, you rulers the world over, listen to what I say, and learn from it. 2 You govern many lands and are proud that so many people are under your rule, 3 but this authority has been given to you by the Lord Most High. He will examine what you have done and what you plan to do. 4 You rule on behalf of God and his kingdom, and if you do not govern justly, if you do not uphold the law, if you do not live according to God’s will, 5 you will suffer sudden and terrible punishment. Judgment is especially severe on those in power. 6 Common people may be mercifully forgiven for their wrongs, but those in power will face a severe judgment. 7 The Lord of all is not afraid of anyone, no matter how great they are. He himself made everyone, great and common alike, and he provides for all equally, 8 but he will judge the conduct of rulers more strictly. 9 It is for you, mighty kings, that I write these words, so that you may know how to act wisely and avoid mistakes. 10 These are holy matters, and if you treat them in a holy manner, you yourselves will be considered holy. If you have learned this lesson, you will be able to defend yourselves at the Judgment. 11 So then, make my teaching your treasure and joy, and you will be well instructed.