Scott Detrow

With President Trump in the White House and Republicans in control of the Senate, the conditions in 2017 were ripe for the unitary executive theory to go mainstream.

With President Trump in the White House and Republicans in control of the Senate, the conditions in 2017 were ripe for the unitary executive theory to go mainstream.

With President Trump in the White House and Republicans in control of the Senate, the conditions in 2017 were ripe for the unitary executive theory to go mainstream.

That's Mike Davis, a conservative legal activist who once worked as chief counsel for nominations for Senator Chuck Grassley, who chaired the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. Davis oversaw the floor votes for hundreds of judicial nominees, nominees that reshaped the federal bench. That includes now Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Justice Neil Gorsuch is a very close friend and a mentor.

That's Mike Davis, a conservative legal activist who once worked as chief counsel for nominations for Senator Chuck Grassley, who chaired the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. Davis oversaw the floor votes for hundreds of judicial nominees, nominees that reshaped the federal bench. That includes now Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Justice Neil Gorsuch is a very close friend and a mentor.

That's Mike Davis, a conservative legal activist who once worked as chief counsel for nominations for Senator Chuck Grassley, who chaired the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. Davis oversaw the floor votes for hundreds of judicial nominees, nominees that reshaped the federal bench. That includes now Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Justice Neil Gorsuch is a very close friend and a mentor.

Gorsuch, who was Trump's first Supreme Court pick, wasn't even on that initial list from the campaign of potential nominations, which is something Davis quickly worked to fix.

Gorsuch, who was Trump's first Supreme Court pick, wasn't even on that initial list from the campaign of potential nominations, which is something Davis quickly worked to fix.

Gorsuch, who was Trump's first Supreme Court pick, wasn't even on that initial list from the campaign of potential nominations, which is something Davis quickly worked to fix.

Davis now runs the Article 3 Project, a conservative legal group that is trying to install what he calls constitutionalist judges on the federal bench. One issue he cares a lot about, a powerful chief executive.

Davis now runs the Article 3 Project, a conservative legal group that is trying to install what he calls constitutionalist judges on the federal bench. One issue he cares a lot about, a powerful chief executive.

Davis now runs the Article 3 Project, a conservative legal group that is trying to install what he calls constitutionalist judges on the federal bench. One issue he cares a lot about, a powerful chief executive.

That argument was a key part of the court's ruling. But what about the other branches of government? Where do they fit in when a president could do whatever he or she wants to as a leader and not face consequences?

That argument was a key part of the court's ruling. But what about the other branches of government? Where do they fit in when a president could do whatever he or she wants to as a leader and not face consequences?

That argument was a key part of the court's ruling. But what about the other branches of government? Where do they fit in when a president could do whatever he or she wants to as a leader and not face consequences?

Coming up, a constitutional law professor walks us through why the immunity decision changed the structure of our government and why it matters. Okay, so to catch up, we have an influential group, the Federalist Society, whose members developed and advocated the idea of a powerful chief executive.

Coming up, a constitutional law professor walks us through why the immunity decision changed the structure of our government and why it matters. Okay, so to catch up, we have an influential group, the Federalist Society, whose members developed and advocated the idea of a powerful chief executive.

Coming up, a constitutional law professor walks us through why the immunity decision changed the structure of our government and why it matters. Okay, so to catch up, we have an influential group, the Federalist Society, whose members developed and advocated the idea of a powerful chief executive.

And a big part of that judicial worldview is something called the unitary executive theory, the idea the president has way more power, way more influence over the executive branch than has previously been utilized. The group helped nominate judges onto the federal bench who, over decades of rulings, have made this theory more and more of a central accepted legal argument.

And a big part of that judicial worldview is something called the unitary executive theory, the idea the president has way more power, way more influence over the executive branch than has previously been utilized. The group helped nominate judges onto the federal bench who, over decades of rulings, have made this theory more and more of a central accepted legal argument.