The Republicans (who do not represent the majority of American voters) will not stand up for us. We must stand up for ourselves and throw all these hypocrites out of office in November.
2
This person has refused to allow evidence and witnesses. So he is clearly guilty of obstruction of Congress. I’m not talking about Trump. It’s McConnell. Both need to be removed from office, not just that crazy man.
Unlike Trump, McConnell can see the greater picture; and no doubt has already calculated who can best win against any Democratic candidate. I'm sure it’s not Pence. Everything McConnell does follows from this calculation. That includes doing whatever it takes to keep that Hoodlum-in-Chief in office
2
Well, it seems pretty obvious at this point that if Trump shot someone on 5th Avenue, the Senate Republicans would say that it wasn’t an impeachable offense, and that would a Trump would give himself the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
3
@Grove
Cover of Time Magazine , Nobel Peace Prize. When he is not adorning himself with accolades he will be calling other countries to make a bribe with them so he could get more and more and more.
A bottomless pit of hate and self loathing is the person that Trump is.
1
The crime is that Pelosi only included electoral politics in her articles of impeachment. Out of a sea of blatant lies and corruption, she could only see fit to try to protect her crony, Joe Biden, from "cheating".
She chose a very uncompelling pair of charges.
@Gilman W
Ahhh a Trump supporter for hate. Everyone in the world is crooked but their beloved cult king. Everyone is attempting to hurt their beloved draft dodger
The world is such a mean and hateful place to the whiner in charge. Poor Trump someone was smarter than him and now he has the word IMPEACHMENT behind his name for all time.
The crime of being a rich spoiled whiner is heartbreaking to his loving fans so they must seek high and low to find an individual who has caused their cult king to be unhappy .
Those charges that Nancy just fabricated out of all those videos against the cult king seems to be working out very well for the Democrats. The poor mafia lawyers can only talk about process vs defending their draft dodger leader from his treason offenses.
3
"As House impeachment managers emphasize the facts, President Trump’s defense team calls the process unfair."
That's what the guilty always claim.
3
In statistics, often the average, called a parameter, of a large set of data points is needed. To estimate the average, of this larger set, called the population, a sample is used. And, with this smaller sample, two types of errors must be considered in this random sampling process.
No error occurs when the sample distribution mimics the underlying population's, and the sample average approaches the population average. But, with sampling, a type 1 error can occur when the preset population average lies outside of random, sample-based bounds for this population average. Thus, although the population parameter is accurately estimated, or preset; it is rejected since the sample-based, computed bounds for the population average are errant due to randomness. And, a type 1 error occurs.
A type 2 error, in contrast, occurs when the preset population parameter, the average, is not rejected, but falls within the sample-based, computed bounds set for this average. In this case, this preset average is within the sample-based bounds, in error, due to randomness, and not because the sample is a good match with the underlying population.
Only one type of error can occur. And, a good way to reduce the chances of either error is simply to gain more evidence by increasing the sample size. With more data, or a larger sample size, the chances that the sample mimics the population increase; much like the need for more evidence in the impeachment process to reduce its error rate.
1/23 4:08p
Whaaatttttt?
@John Joseph Laffiteau MS in Econ
Republicans prefer a high error rate in this case.
Criminals always do.
2
Ideally this impeachment trial should offer insight around the nuances of Article II of the Constitution. Prominent in the speeches made by the House Managers instead is the continued, relentless theme of the nefariousness of Russia and Vladimir Putin, plucked it seems from the smoldering ruins of the Mueller report and the Steele dossier, discarding arguments on the merits in favor of actively mocking and seeking to shame all skeptics once again as "Putin puppets." Maybe because Russia is not a place (or rather, no longer one) where lucrative jobs are to be had by well placed Americans on the boards of extractive industries, as Ukraine has become since the U.S. backed regime change and subsequent overseeing of American policy there at the time by Vice President Biden.
@Edwin
So Biden was responsible for the criminal activities that Trump, Rudi have been involved in?
That's a new one, Biden made me do it.
Beloved Trump was reduced to behaving in a treasonous manner because Biden made him do it.
The facts of this case are not in doubt and were never contested by Mr. Trump's supporters in Congress, nor by his legal team. If the facts are against you, hide the facts and argue process issues, even if you have to misrepresent the process to the American public. Regardless of what he has done, it is clear that Republicans in Congress don't want to remove the President from office under any circumstances.
3
There aren't multiple approaches to the trial. There is the Democrat's approach to the Trial. And there is the Senate's memory of Donald Trump making John McCain a pariah in the Republican party. The Republicans in the Senate simply don't have the courage and strength of character to risk following the path of a genuine Republican Senatorial Hero.
3
Pat Cipollone has overstepped his role as White House Council in representing trump, his role is not protected under client privilege.
It is clear, however, that the privilege does not apply in strictly personal matters. It also does not apply to legislative proceedings by the U.S. Congress against the president due to allegations of misconduct while in office, such as formal censures or impeachment proceedings. In those situations the president relies on a personal attorney if he desires confidential legal advice. The Senate should subpoena Cipollone for information.
Ted Cruz recently won a very close re-election campaign in which nearly half of Texas voted against him.
Instead of realizing that the electorate is changing and nearly half of his state doesn't like him or the GOP, he celebrated like it was a landslide, calling it a historical win for conservatives.
So instead of being more moderate to match the huge majority of his constituents, he went more conservative. When Texas and the rest of the country turns blue in November, the GOP will have Senators like Cruz to thank for that.
Good luck GOP, with a flimsy defense of "this is unfair!" you may get an acquittal, but you'll lose everything else.
3
I simply do not understand how the Republicans can make an argument that Trump should not be impeached because it would "undo his election."
By definition, impeachment is the undoing of an election.
And by the way, Republicans, the provisions for impeachment are in the Constitution.
1
A new PEW research poll indicates that while 86% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents believe the President should remain in office, almost a third believe he acted unethically and/or illegally in the Ukrainian affair.
Why can't the Senate recognize that distinction by concluding the impeachment trial with three separate votes? The first two would be on the validity of the House charges, abuse of power and blocking the turnover of relevant evidence. Then, if a majority agrees that he is guilty on either or both of these charges, the Senate could proceed with a vote, requiring a two-thirds majority, to remove the President from office.
Separating these votes would enable Republican Senators to acknowledge serious wrongdoing without voting for his removal. Their votes would stand opposed to Trump's ultra-loyalists who will insist, in concert with the President and his lawyers, that he did nothing wrong.
1
It is very understandable that the defense team representing Trump would have very little if any material. Why should they?
After-all, the defense is keenly aware that Trump committed the offenses for which he is being impeached. Inaddition,
Trump will probably not give them any documents because they will only prove the case against him. Also, the defense team is not required to present a robust effort to defend their client since they know that McConnell rigged the trial in favor of Trump and the outcome was predetermined.
2
Republicans in the government and the richest Americans have been the main beneficiaries of Republican policies for the last 40 years.
The willingness of Republicans in the Senate, led by Mitch McConnell, to betray the country and Constitution is meant to further empower them to continue their policies.
We are fighting against them to save America.
4
When the Senate in the person of Senator Sessions aided Trump's campaign starting the promotion of Donald Trump by the Senate and the military friendly Television industry, the motion was set for these days. The outcome was always predetermined from the time Trump alluded to civil unrest were he not elected, in a televised appearance before the election, to the scheduling of a Washington military parade just five days after the 2018 election in what I expected to be a coup if the Democrats won the entire Congress, the future is obvious.
I advise those who would want to live peacefully without guns everywhere, to find new homes in other smaller nuclear free nations. With your excellent educations, you will live peacefully in prosperity.
The wealthy have already known the future for decades and have been exporting wealth and businesses to support them elsewhere where they would travel on their personal craft to safety leaving the nation in ruins.
This is likely why Trump has sabotaged so much about America and negotiated building outside the country, including in negotiations during his campaign to build a tower in Moscow. Perhaps you will be enlightened now.
Let the young pioneers be the New World, free of military and danger. Be the seeds of Peace.
I end with the question; if Trump deported all the Russian diplomatic spies, why did he allow the Russian state television to remain down the street from the White House within eavesdropping range?
Had the Democrats made a convincing case and the public become increasingly alarmed about Trump as happened during the Nixon hearings then you would have had enough Republican defections to achieve the outcome you desired. But now you will have to wait 10 months for the next election.
Democrats better wake up and realize we have Trump because of THEM!
Perhaps we deserve that.
@Max
"Had the Democrats made a convincing case ... we have Trump because of THEM [the Democrats]!"
The case is convincing. Cut and dry. Indisputable. A score of credible witnesses, career professionals all, Republicans and Democrats alike have testified to them. On the other hand, the Trump base is an unhinged and untethered cult, immune to facts and reason. Furthermore, Congressional Republicans have behaved in a mendacious immoral manner. We have Trump because the Trump base voted for him, and Congressional Republicans have abandoned their Constitutional oversight duties.
2
It is mind-boggling that after so much evidence that Ukraine did not interfere in the 2016 election -- that instead that Russia did and the claim otherwise is Russian propaganda -- that Republicans are still doubling down on their Ukraine theory.
That's what Republicans spent all their time during one break arguing -- Ukraine's interference, the black ledger (whatever that is), etc etc -- dismissing our own intelligence officials decision that Russia interfered, not Ukraine.
The question is why Republicans are doing Putin's dirty work?
1
There are no patriots in the Republican Senate, and there really haven’t been in 40 years.
2
“If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell”
Carl Sandburg
1
Within the past 2 months we've witnessed the President's lawyers stand in front of the Circuit Court in Washington DC pleading that the President was above the law. When one of the judges asked one of Trump's lawyers if the President would be above the law if he were to shoot someone on 5th Avenue the lawyer replied "yes". Now we have lawyers representing the President in his impeachment trial who are arguing that the President has committed no crime, therefore, he can't be impeached. Using the logic of Trump's own lawyers he can't be impeached if he committed a crime, because he's above the law. Which is it guys? Trump's impeachment lawyers have further argued that this impeachment is clearly partisan. Really? Take the same evidence, testimony, circumstances and facts, apply them to Hillary Clinton, if she was now president, or Barrack Obama, when he was president, and every single Republican in the Senate would vote for a public hanging. Even if you, the reader, supports Trump, you know this is true.
One of the most important things to emerge from this whole debacle is that taking the "Oath of Office" is utterly impotent and will be an absurd waste of time from now on unless the American people see some accountability.
The next step is to thwart the whole Constitution.
Not that much of a leap, either, because nothing matters anymore except for a few politicians keeping their jobs.
"A partisan impeachment is like stealing an election,” Mr. Cipollone declared..."
The only ones making this "partisan" are the Republicans who are standing in monolithic opposition, choosing party over country. They've been invited, and even subpoenaed, to participate, but have refused to. When someone asks you to the dance and you refuse, you don't get to sit at home and cry because "Nobody asked me".
But the Democrats are in danger of what they always seem to do: making things too arcane and dense for people to understand. There is no need to pick apart every detail and nuance of what Trump did. What they need to do is boil it down to its essence: Trump broke the law. He did so in several ways: First, he withheld Congressionally approved funds without consulting Congress. That is a clear violation of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Second, when Congress attempted to investigate his actions, as defined by the Constitution as within their lawful power, he refused to cooperate and instructed everyone in the Executive Branch to refuse also. This is basic obstruction of Congress.
Yes, there are many other things that he's done that could be considered "high crimes and misdemeanors" but most Americans will either accept or deny these aspects. Beating people over the head with tons of material won't change their mind. The age old acronym still applies: "Keep It Simple Stupid".
1
@Kingfish52
I don't disagree with your basic points. I think that there are many resources that one can consult that provide information about this scandal in varying degrees of intellectual density. Indeed, on any given day, I am randomly see submissions by satirists & and cartoonists, articles providing legal & political analysis, historical perspective, etc. with varying degrees of accessibility for laymen. I think that for the historical record there IS a need to "pick apart every detail of what Trump did" - and after watching Mr. Schiff's presentation, I am glad that he is more than capable for that task.
People will find their own level of fluency regarding an understanding of the details - nobody is beating anyone over the head with tons of material. The "KISS" crowd can have their {hopefully legitimate) sources, the "I want the details" people can have theirs as well... But whatever our individual level of information saturation, we ALL need to be informed and not ignorant of what is happening here, particularly when lies and misinformation are willfully being propagated. IMO the information baseline is far beyond "Keep it Simple Stupid"
1
@Kingfish52 It's a sad indictment of Americans if this is considered "too arcane and dense for people to understand". It's hand-holding with videos and pictures too!
True, for those living in Trump's bubble nothing but Trump matters. But have they considered that Trump is but a blip in time, and whatever results from this impeachment will affect their future and government way past Trump's tenure.
I would think, whether you are for or against impeachment, wanting to know and understand what the president, the government, can and can't do in your name with your tax-payer dollars, your ownership of US assets as a citizen, would be of importance, and worth exercising attention and discipline if, at the least, to use one's vote wisely with full knowledge and thus real freedom.
1
Constitutional Prof. Tribe: “The argument that only criminal offenses are impeachable has died a thousand deaths in the writings of all the experts on the subject.”
Yet, Cipollone & Sekulow want to revive this dead legal-argument!
Cipollone & Sekulow’s letter: “The Articles of Impeachment are constitutionally invalid on their face. They fail to allege any crime or violation of law whatsoever, as required by the Constitution.”
1
@I Gadfly I guess, like so many people of their ilk, they have no self-respect and think the dollars and expensive suits make up for it.
The GOP acts like a gambler who knows the fix is in, nothing anyone does now will change the outcome. Republicans have cheated at elections before and have now perfected their MO, they know they will "win" in November. This is probably common knowledge among Republicans, that's why they can defy everyone all the time. There will be no consequences.
Trumpism reminds of the 4th Grade (back in 1958) in elementary school; the bullying (and the cowardice that goes along with it), the name calling of anyone who wasn't of the ideal norm in height, weight, appearance, foreign sounding name etc, and most of all a faculty who acted like none of that was going on in their midst.
1
We are watching, live, the unfolding of a tragedy as Senate Republicans demonstrate their utter contempt for the Constitution and the rule of law.
3
I think I'm slowly recovering from the shock that America has stooped to this but just maybe this lesson in democracy was necessary.
Of course Trump isn't going to be removed from office. But every Senator who is today falling asleep out of bald-faced disinterest in this tragedy is staining his permanent record and voters are taking notes. 22 of these overstuffed clowns are up for reelection on November 3rd.
1
Trump said that Democrats are opposed to a deal because they are afraid of what the GOP-called witnesses would reveal.
That's rich coming from Trump, he who is absolutely terrified to testify and instead cowers behind his Twitter feed spewing venom from his safe space.
1
Mitch McConnell - Because I can.
Donald Trump - Try and stop me.
WH lawyers - We are sworn to protect our client by any means.
House Managers - Here are the facts. Here is the law.
GOP Senators - ?
Listen up. Defending and protecting Donald Trump or upholding the law? Your choice.
4
@peckish Republican Senators are aware that Cipollone lied about the House process but most viewers are not. Roberts should not allow this blatant lie to go uncorrected for the sake of viewers. Republican Senators don’t care or more likely approve.
3
Discussions of abuse of power leading to impeachment should include Bill Clinton’s abuse of his position for his own sexual gratification. It is a terrific parallel with Trump’s abuse of his power for his own gratification of his ego.
The difference is that clinton’s Didn’t include a foreign power.
2
Trump's lawyers speak as erratically as he does. The orderly presentation of Adam Schiff and the other House counsel puts them all to shame.
5
As a 65 year old taxpaying, and voting, American Citizen, I demand to see ALL the evidence the House Members have asked for. Failure to do so, will be considered by me, an ACT OF TREASON by members of congress against US ! WE, THE PEOPLE !
4
A short recap for those who missed it: The sunshine patriot Mitch McConnell who has violated his oath to be impartial is protecting the summer soldier Donald Trump who blackmailed Ukraine into helping him cheat in the 2020 election.
I write the above in gratitude for what the Democrats are attempting, in light of Thomas Paine who wrote the following in 1776:
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.”
5
@Robert: Thomas Paine was an atheist who believed tyranny to be rooted in and justified by theocracy.
We seniors never thought we’d be viewing another impeachment process. But then we never thought Donald Trump and the likes of him would be living and working out of our White House. And furthermore that we’d be paying for their salaries.
Our forefathers tried to prevent this the best they could. Our military family members who are gone would be sick. Our grandchildren don’t understand our concern - they’re so inexperienced. Our neighbors are deciding who to speak to. Our communities don’t know what to do next about funding. Seniors who might pay attention are worried about their healthcare, and now even their Social Security checks.
And in the meanwhile Mitch McConnell has this power. More chaos for the Trumps to fling around. How happy they must be!
64
@MIMA
Republicans know full well that Donald Trump is guilty as sin and a grave grave threat to our democracy if he is allowed to remain in office.
Watch and see...Republicans will rue the day they emboldened this monster by acquitting him.
6
@MIMA We are still fortunate to be Americans. Seniors in this country can at least be thankful that, even though their gas bill keeps going up, their payments aren't going to keep the son of some avaricious foreign politician on its Board of Directors.
ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 3.3:
A lawyer shall not knowingly:
(1) make a false statement of fact or law to a tribunal or fail to correct a false statement of material fact or law previously made to the tribunal by the lawyer.
Somebody please file an ethics complaint.
135
@E. Miller
The ABA rule is just another example of pettifogging!
@E. Miller You must be referring to Schiff's repeatedly saying during his presentation that Trump "cheated" during the 2016 election with Russian's assistance. We've had report after report which have concluded that, while Russian interfered, there was no evidence that it affected the outcome of the election, and no evidence that anyone in the Trump campaign (or anyone in the U.S) conspired with Russia. Yet presumably it's fine with you if Schiff lies, because it's in the service of 'getting' Trump.
1
@E. Miller
Trump's lawyers, e.g., Sekulow, have lied time and time again. They should be disbarred.
6
The truth is that an impeachment of a President is not and never was a criminal trial. It is a political trial. The writers of the Constitution believed or maybe pretended to believe that members of Congress would put the interests of the nation above the interest of the "Party." We are all still waiting for that to happen. The republicas would find Trump not guilty, even if he were to admit that he abused the power of his office for purely political gain. The way to get rid of this stain on our nation is for everyone who is not a diehard Republican to vote for whater Democrats who are on the ballot in the upcoming Presidential Election. That means you too Bernie Sanders supporters.
7
As much as we believe our US Constitution is perfect, it is not. In fact, the impeachment and trial of Trump leaves too much influence to politics. The rules on how these proceedings should be carried out can change each time and in the manner that favors the party in the majority as we our seeing in the Senate.
McConnell has made it clear that his loyalty is not to the US Constitution, the rule of law, or to US citizens. His loyalty is to the corrupt person on trial, Trump.
The Republican majority Senate has shown how corruption can shove our country into a dictatorship, banana republic style government where the leader of the country is not held liable for his conduct.
We should amend the US Constitution to incorporate the following concerning presidential impeachment and trials:
a) Remove the power of trial by the Senate and give it to the people.
b) Let ordinary citizens serve as jurors to decide the fate of an impeached president. It is the citizens that put a president in office and it should be the citizens that remove the president from office and even level criminal charges if warranted.
c) Have a US Federal Court with multiple randomly picked federal judges sit over the case with all standard trial procedures and laws applicable as if it were a regular citizen on trial.
The bottom line is the US President should be treated the same as any other citizen. Only then will the rule of law be the law of the land.
3
@mrpisces: Under the present system, citizens have vastly different influence, tied to where they live. No wonder the US is coming apart at the seams.
The basic facts are that President Trump asked a foreign country, Ukraine, to announce an investigation of his likely rival in the 2020 election. Soliciting anything of value from a foreign country is illegal. President Trump used a hold on military aid on any face-to-face meetings with the Ukranian president as the bribe to get his investigation. That money was authorized by Congress. That money and those meetings strengthened Ukraine, a country working towards becoming a more democratic rule-of-law country, against our adversary Russia, which is not a democratic or rule-of-law country. Russia is also the country that attacked our 2016 elections to favor Trump. These are the facts. The accused, President Trump, brings forward no facts, only rhetoric and name-calling. If the Republicans in the Senate acquit Trump, it will damage our Constitutional separation of power and our value that no one is above the law. It will set a precedent that Presidents can trade the US national security (remember, Trump's actions strengthened our adversary, Russia) to benefit themselves. I don't believe that most of us want the US to look like that.
3
@Practical Realities: Putin needs Ukraine to reconstitute the USSR.
1
The first Republican Senator who steps up and votes to convict, will be an American hero (or heroine) for all time. They will be beloved and honored by history, and by all of our allies throughout the world.
7
The motive for Trump's insistence that Ukraine take the blame for Russia's 2016 election meddling needs to be front and center.
The Russian kleptocracy desperately need sanctions relief; That can only happen if the blame for the 2016 election meddling is placed elsewhere.
It is as obvious to the former GOP Russia fighters as it is to everyone else, that when Donald Trump advocates the Russian GRU propaganda that Ukraine hacked our 2016 election instead of Russia, he proves himself to be a Russian asset and Putin's puppet. Trump can keep Putin from revealing his years of money laundering, and have Russia help him again in 2020, only by continuing to do Putin's work. It is past time to emphatically state the obvious and present the evidence already in possession of the US Intelligence agencies.
3
None of the people I've seen so far should call themselves "trial lawyers." Running loops of the same stuff puts jurors to sleep, and eventually angers them. They know their time is being wasted. As a trial lawyer, I'm cringing at the whining about having 24 hour time limits to present 2 or 3 hours of meaningful "opening statement." The presentation of evidence will be like deja-vu all over again. The cheesiest car wreck or slip-and-fall lawyer can do better than this. So far, this has been more satire than charade. Either way, none of it looks like a trial. The House was terribly unprepared, and the Senate is going to do what real juries do everyday; punish the unprepared.
1
Why are we wasting our time and money on these lawyers when we could actually use the government to benefit the people? This is why people don’t vote.
3
Speak for yourself. I always vote regardless of how disgusted I am with the candidates and/or the process. In fact with the exception of one or two times I’ve never voted for someone I really wanted. Rather against the candidate I don’t like. People who use that as an excuse are just lazy intellectually and physically.
1
@Pilot. - oh the people *will* vote next time - nobody is going to stay home this time!
Trump's reign has always been an argument about how much power does/should a president have. He has said he has absolute power and immunity and impunity to do anything he so desires and no Republicans have checked him. Impeachment is a political process and therein lies the rub.
Republicans take the view the president (well, Trump, they're myopic) is above the law, has the power to do anything he wants with impunity, including using the office to benefit himself personally, thus he can do no wrong, even when it is unethical, lacks integrity, is corrupt, brings disrepute on the US, betrays the trust of the public, damages national security, divides the country and threatens the Constitution, aka a King with divine rights.
Democrats hold that the Constitution, the standards and ideals it lays out, is integral to the well-being and functioning of the US. There is no absolute ruler, there are three branches of government. The US is far more important than any president. The integrity of, and trust in, the president and office of the president are essential to safeguard the current and future well-being of the US and uphold democratic ideals, thus abuse of office and obstruction of justice are impeachable offenses.
The Republicans have to change the Constitution for their arguments to stand up, there is no mention of an absolute ruler. Why not just be honest and admit they do not care what he does. It's what they repeat ad nauseam everyday, if you cut through the claptrap.
Isn't it a crime to lie in court? How can the president's lawyers get away with stating facts that are blatantly false? While most of their theatrics would be considered opinion there are several things they asserted which are simply not true.
What is happening here? The smart, talkative senators - Lindsey Grahams of this world - are slowly moving to the back and pushing the light-weights - Kevin McCarthy's of the Senate - to come to the front. Is that mean the smart ones starting to feel a looming danger?
1
It is truly disheartening to watch Senate Republicans pretend to care about the Constitution and it’s principles while they proceed to undermine it for their own personal gain.
They are obviously choosing Trump over the country, and affirming the disdain that Trump has for the Constitution and the rule of law.
The founding fathers never could have anticipated the level of corruption that has infected the Republican Senate, led by an opportunist like Moscow Mitch McConnell.
3
Too many Americans have sacrificed their lives, their health, or their property to ensure that we're a nation ruled by law, not by men---not by a king.
What autocrats couldn't achieve by guns, the GOP is attempting to achieve by lawyers, elected officials, money, and the media in full view of the public. They're claiming that the GOP, because it controls the White House, has the lawful right to cheat in the upcoming election.
The GOP has already begun to steal this election by making hundreds of thousands of voters ineligible to vote.
Each of us has an obligation to honor those who sacrificed for our democracy by stepping up and doing our part: doorbelling, telephoning, organizing our friends, contributing money, marching, voting, holding elected officials and the media accountable, and explaining it all to our children.
Go beyond your "comfort zone" as those who created our democracy did. NOW is the time. Don't wait until it's too late. Pretty soon, they'll even be separating children from their parents, and putting them in cages.
3
Anyone recall the final scene from the 'Bridge on the River Kwai'? Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson has been obsessed with demonstrating to his Japanese captors that the British, the arrogant British, can build a better bridge over the River Kwai than any Japanese engineer. Only when a team of Americans arrive to blow up the Lieutenant Colonel's excellent bridge (because, of course, it is to be used to transport Japanese troops to kill Allied soldiers) does Nicholson realize that he has actually given in to his captors rather than shaming them. He has been played for the fool. Just saying Collins and Romney and Gardener and Alexander.
I don't know of any right-wing arguments that don't condense down to tautologies. They are always right because God told them so.
1
Only guilty people dont want more evidence.
Only guilty people dont want witnesses.
Strip away the political trappings of this situation and I'm pretty sure 80-90% of people would agree with this.
Which is why Republican and Trump faithfuls need to take a step back and ask, "What is happening to my brain?"
2
I just love that President Trump has tweeted more than 140 times about the impeachment trial. He won’t be removed from office but it sure is nice to watch him go postal and get under his skin when he’s been such a jerk to so many people.
2
Mr. Cipollone declared, adding: “It’s outrageous. It’s outrageous. And the American people won’t stand for it, " - he is correct!! - which is why the GOP Senators need to honor the oath they swore and not kowtow to midnight-in-moscow-mitch and trump
"everyone knows what Mr. Trump did, but that Republicans simply do not believe it was worthy of impeachment." so threatening marital security was for Mr. Clinton, but now national security is not???? give me a break
Finally some facts from the GOP!
Oh well, time to shut down the trial.
Breaking News From Rudy on Twitter:
“Everything I tried to tell the press last March is now coming out, and more. I will now start to reveal the evidence directly to you, the People. The Biden Family Enterprise made millions by selling public office. Then when Joe was Obama’s Point Man, they ALL made millions.
1
I'm not sure when Democrats decided we were at war with Russia, but any president who actively engages in warfare - and providing military assistance is just that - is guilty of violating the constitution.
It would seem Democrats have reverted back to their Vietnam war era ideals when it was ok to wage undeclared war despite massive casualties.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is not our problem, and going to war against the only country on this planet capable of challenging our military supremacy is monumentally stupid.
Especially if you owe them money.
@Ben Russia is our main enemy; they hacked our elections; attack NATO and NATO countries. Stick your head in the dirt; "America First" means America alone. Russia took Syria after Trump gave it away. Wake up; Russia is America's enemy.
@Ben Giving aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia was Trump’s own policy and money has been appropriated for it by a Republican Senate and both Republican and Democratic Houses.
Please explain to me why the press, including the Washington Post consistently characterize the impeachment process as:
Democrats vs Republicans
This does a disservice to the public by turning the impeachment process into a typical partisan political battle of little or no import, and which occurs all the time. In order to the public to understand what is at stake here impeachment needs to be accurately characterizing as:
Donald Trump vs The Constitution of the United States
The future of our form of Constitutional government and the rule of law is being legislated away by a Senate who is endowing this and future Presidents with unaccountable, dictatorial power, which will be impossible for the Legislature to check.
The public will not clearly understand what is at stake unless and until the press begins to accurately describes what this impeachment means.
41
@James
The fact that most of our media is “for profit” is very dangerous to our form of government.
It causes the “bottom line” to be of utmost importance.
This causes the media to refrain from, or water down the truth to maximize profit and prevent the loss of “customers”.
Decisions are made regarding content to avoid offending people who might want to subvert the government.
According to the Republican 5-4 Supreme Court, “money is speech”.
It is not.
3
@James
Exactly!
The Constitution protects the Press, so the Press can protect the Constitution. The Press is supposed to, independently, compare the president's behavior to the Constitution and educate the public about the differences.
Instead, corporate media spent two years asking Democrats about Impeachment, without ever saying why they would ask such a question.
They excuse Republicans for any responsibility for their corrupt president by constantly assuming they will ignore their oaths of office to protect the Constitution, without ever actually saying that.
Parties are not in the Constitution. The Press should not be deferring it's Constitutional responsibilities to parties.
Democrats are playing softball (and yelling at their own left fielders).
Republicans are driving tanks around the field (while their right fielders roam the parking lot, beating up people, literally).
The umpires (the media) keep demanding that the Democrats enforce the rules instead of doing their jobs.
Kabuki requires tons of props and costumes naturally explaining the House managers’ piled high table. Defense naturally needs little other than the Playbill.
1
@John Doe The defense is that Trump is absolute ruler (with immunity and impunity) and according some divine rights too, to do as he wishes—a crown and scepter would not go amiss or maybe dear leader's colors in their top pocket.
@John Doe Have you ever sat in a courtroom? The lawyer defending the indefensible always says the exact same thing. This case is very simple...
@John Doe
Logic requires evidence.
Blind belief requires someone to tell you what to think.
The article on Kevin McCarthy holds a ray of hope. Complementing McCarthy for holding House Republicans together to vote against impeachment, he said, “former prosecutors who probably don’t love the president, moderates who are retiring and thinking, ‘I’m going to vote to impeach the president because I want my grandchildren to talk to me again.'"
Here's hoping that Senate Republicans want their grandchildren to talk to them again, or if they vote to acquit, that their grandchildren will never talk to them again.
17
Democrats: the President is our employee and did wrong. (Secular interpretation)
Republicans: the President is our king and can do no wrong. (Religious interpretation)
Anyone should be able to see these are not opposing arguments in a legal case but fundamentally different perceptions of our American reality.
The arguments of the Democrats (prosecution) are aimed mainly at the American public because everyone knows there are not even four honest Republicans in America willing to cast a vote based on the case since they have already made up their minds about whether the President (any Republican President) can be held guilty of anything.
The arguments or presentation of the Republicans is targeted to an audience of one, watching them on tv. Their opening statements and quotes from the brief sound as though written by the defendant himself, then lightly edited for form by someone with a bit more education.
9
@Pottree
Yes, and the Left perspective is aligned with the Constitution, and the Right perspective is opposed to the Constitution.
We won a revolution and a civil war, so that we could have a Constitution. Now they want another civil war.
Stop them.
For the record addressing the false impression Carl Hulse seems to have got from McConnell's sham of giving in to pressure from Senators at the outset of this trial.
McConnell did not give in.
He set that up to create the impression he gave in. It's PR work for himself and it really doesn't do anything to make the trial more fair or open the possibility that the DEMs might get testimony and the docs the WH is preventing via McConnell.
Trump, McConnell, and the republicans have no legs to stand on in this matter, there is no new factor. This was litigated to the SCOTUS during the Nixon admin. Congress (or either house) has the unfettered right to the documents and testimony they subpoenaed. I believe it is actually another crime to be withholding them. So does that make McConnell a co-conspirator as well as Nunes?
3
If every Democratic Representative voted for impeachment and every Democratic Senator votes for removal that is , in the eyes of Republicans proof of a partisan proceeding.
If every Republican Representative voted against impeachment and every Republican Senator votes against witnesses, documents, or removal....what shall we call that?
6
None dare call it treason.
2
I am all for removal of Trump, but as an attorney the Managers case leaves me uninspired and will not lead to removal. Every sentence should be geared to the charge of treason. GOP enablers would not be able to dismiss that as common campaign tactics or routine withholding of foreign aid. I heard a lot about enabling Putin in Trump's dealings with Ukraine but never hear the word treason. So I turned the TV off. What a waste of effort!
1
I'm sad at the all the talk about "overturning an election". Remember of course that Mr. Trump lost the public election by several million votes. An overturn here would be consistent with the majority vote. But I guess we'll just overlook that too, since Trump is so clearly the victim here.
3
@Rich Even if Trump were to be convicted, that would not "overturn the election" in that Hillary Clinton, the winner of the popular vote, would not then automatically (and magically) become President.
Trump's legal team and anyone who has been paying attention has heard it all before. Trump is the defendant here, it is not his team's job to prove Trump innocent, it is the Democrats job to prove him guilty and sufficiently so as to be removed. Trumps team need only weaken the Democrats arguement, with political argument and discounting to avoid removal. Then Trump wins.
2
@Mkm So all the defense has to do to win is to "weaken" the Democrats' fact-based arguments with partisan political arguments? Sounds like apples and oranges to me, but I guess that's their only choice since they have no exculpatory evidence to offer.
“Eschewing props, the defense team has focused instead on the process.”
Facts are a lot to ask for from the GOP because then they would have to tell the truth.
8
Angela Minton,
There is a good possibility that the Trump legal team would be amenable to allowing witnesses for the Democrats if they were given the same courtesy. How about the whistleblower and the Bidens stepping forward and testifying to what they know? This seems like a fair request don’t you think?
1
@KMW They don't know anything about the trump violating the law and obstructing justice.
Although the whistleblower’s legally protected, at least theoretically this person’s testimony could be relevant to the case at hand. VP Biden or Hunter Biden have nothing relevant to the actions of the president to contribute. They were not witnesses nor participants, they were victims.
Please explain how the whistleblower and Biden, neither of whom have first-hand knowledge of the president’s abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, are relevant witnesses. I’m not being a troublemaker. I genuinely would like to know. What can the Biden’s offer into evidence regarding the president’s actions in Ukraine? What can the whistleblower add to the record other than the information he has already included in his legally anonymous complaint to the Inspector General? It seems to me that the motive for insisting on these witnesses is mean-spirited and vindictive—to humiliate Hunter Biden and to expose the whistleblower to physical danger at the hands of a Trump supporter—Let us not forget the unhinged protester who screamed Iike a banshee from the gallery yesterday that “Jerry Nadler is the Devil.” This tit for tat by the President’s legal team is better left for the school yard or back alley. I thought we were better than this. But, again, I may be wrong.
So the Republican case will be repeating Fox News talking points? Well, good luck with that. It will go right over the heads of every Democrat and every Independent and every other self-respecting citizen who avoids that conspiracy-laden and fact-deprived network. Basing the Republican case on the extremist base is a losing strategy come November because everyone knows Fox News lies, and we're smarter than that.
5
Of course this is all totally unfair. When you live in an "Alice In Wonderland" alternative universe; where reality, facts, and Truth have no meaning; how unfair is it that the big bad awful Democrats keep forcing such things into their pathetic twisted little world. What is the point of being President of the U.S. anyway; if dear Donald cannot lie, cheat, coerce, bribe, bully, or mock everyone; why would he want to be President in the first place? Such is the sickness that inhabits the strange world Republicans seem to inhabit in 2020; where reality, facts, and Truth simply don`t. matter.
7
Trump has been using the “poor me” defense since he was two. Time to give him a time out.
9
I think that it's imperative that you hear and see the multimedia presentation by Rep. Schiff. As citizens of this great country, it is our responsibility to hear and see this presentation and come to your own conclusions about what Trump did. For me, it is time to defend our constitution and the law. The senators who vote to acquit will have history as their accusers.
10
"If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither on your side, pound the table."
The Trump legal team brings the old legal aphorism to life.
22
If the Democrats have new evidence and new witnesses they should simply hold a second impeachment. They are in control of the House. Conducting a second impeachment to get their new evidence out is 100% totally up to them.
5
@Dr. John
They do not have new evidence, they are still trying to get the documents and testimony the subpoenaed during the House impeachment hearings.
It is law the SCOTUS ruled during the Nixon admin when he tried what Trump is doing with the republican Senate's help this time. Congress (or either house of it) is entitled to whatever docs and testimony they ask the president for.
8
@magicisnotreal
Then the Democrats simply follow the law.
They simply have to take any lack of responses to their subpoenas to court.
It is the law.
1
Prosecution: here are the facts
A-B-C-D
Defense: OH, YEAH?
7
We want witnesses, we want witnesses.
OOPs may be not.
Democrats
2
@clarity007 So you want a sham "trial"; "Not Guilty" then have the "trial"
1
The problem, of course, is that the Founders never imagined that poltical leaders of a cvilized country could be so lacking in scruples
23
@MacIver: The Founders did not imagine most of what are critical issues today.
1
What I want the Republicans to say is that what the President did was good and proper and every President, Republican or Democrat, should do the same given the opportunity. I don't think even these hypocrites could force those words out of their mouths.
19
@Andrew: If you think the Republicans will be consistent or honest, you are dreaming: I give you the Bill Clinton Impeachment for lying about having an affair with a White House intern. Kenn Starr prosecuted Clinton, a Democrat. Now he is defending Trump on much ow worse charges.
5
@Andrew They do not have the courage, nor, I suspect, the conviction. They have been complicit in his abuses for so long that their conscience no longer pings.
This is why we can't have nice things...
19
Just an editing note: delete redundancy in, "occasional refusal by a jury to refuse to convict..."
3
I've been dismayed at the passivity of the Chief Justice. Is there no sanction for Cipollone's blatant lie that Republicans were not allowed in the House proceedings? Is there no sanction for Republican Senators getting up and leaving for 30 to 40 minutes at a time during these Senate hearings? I would be jailed or fined if I just waltzed off a jury trial as a citizen! They obviously don't want to hear the truth. Where is Roberts?
174
@peckish
Perhaps Schiff should boldly and clearly raise the issue of the lie by Cipollone? Perhaps directed at Cipollone as he is in the Chambers? We need to see some BOLD moves by Democrats.
49
@Tom I think Schiff wisely focused his time here at the beginning to simply clearly stating the case. Being on the defensive at the beginning would weaken his argument.
3
@peckish: It is not a Judge's place to determine if a witness is truthful or lying unless the Judge is the "jury" too. The judge is there to make sure that all the legal rules for a trail are followed.
Read Fox News to understand the disinformation campaign.
Anyone that lives on Fox probably has no idea how the impeachment and trial process works.
The Democrats need to clearly describe what "impeachment" is - basically a grand jury in that the House just prepares a set of charges - and what "trial in the Senate" means.
Conservative pundits are trashing the current impeachment because there was no defense in the House impeachment, but that's not their job. The trial in the Senate is where all evidence - prosecution and defense - are presented.
13
@John Yup, it's astonishing. Fox News has conservatives fuming over the unfair trial conducted by the House. The bottom line seems to be that conservatives have no morality. They'll embrace any lie and excuse any crime if that's what counts as support for conservatism.
2
Yes, the grievances are front and center. Unfair! Unfair! Of course, the Republicans have refused to participate in any meaningful way, but no mind. But, watch out, folks. What mischief is being done below the radar while we concentrate on what is conceded as being little but tilting at windmills? How many voters are being purged? How many sudden investigations will the Justice Department reveal involving Democratic candidates?
11
I guess they don't want any evidence or witnesses cause the Democrats are cheating in the 2020 election?
3
Democrats: The facts give us no choice but to vote to convict. Republicans: Sham! Unfair! Outrageous! He didn't do anything wrong! They're stealing the election! The Republican senators are breaking the oath they swore just a day or two ago, to be impartial. Just like they have failed to perform their required Constitutional oversight duties. We have not seen anything like this in the modern era.
17
Fox News evening programs have muted the Democratic testimony but will air the testimony of the Trump legal team. This is a wise decision as the Democrats just keep repeating the same points which becomes very tiresome. We already know what will be said as we heard it all before in the house hearings. The Republicans have made good arguments that are very convincing. We all know what the final vote will be so there is really nothing new. The President will not be removed and it will be business as usual. The Democrats will not be satisfied with the outcome and will continue going after President Trump. They just won’t give up.
If it is true that the president is innocent of all charges, and that acquittal is a “slam dunk,” what is the harm in allowing people like me to see the evidence and hear from relevant witnesses? Wouldn’t that make the president’s acquittal a more powerful statement leading into the 2020 election cycle?
26
@KMW "They just won't give up'. To right wing; winning is all that matters; truth; honesty; democracy;are worthless . Dems will not give up because America is sinking into a cesspool of hate and corruption . So; watch FOX( owned by multibillionaires Murdochs) put hands over your ears and watch America die
6
@KMW You and I may have heard it all in the House hearings, but many people are only now taking an interest. Note how reporters are constantly explaining who the parties are and their connection to the case... very boring for those of us who have been listening and reading about the situation for months, but necessary for the latecomers.
1
Bring on the witnesses and documents. Not sure why this is such a big deal. If Trump is innocent, then they truth will set him free, if he is not, then the American people needs to know. If the Republicans give him a pass now, they truth will come out in time, and if it goes against Trump, they will be on the hook and it believe me the repercussions will be lasting for them.
Transparency now. Bring on the witnesses. We all want the truth.
23
Ah, the new normal - guilty until proven innocent. What has happened to this country?
1
@M.Houston
for minorities that has always been the case. We are quilty for just living so the draft dodger should be perceived any differently than how the white court system views people?
Remember Trump said yesterday he is going to cut your mom's social security and health care. So get ready to care for your family members and remember your words.
6
@M.Houston How is this guilty untill proven innocent? It would seem having relevant documents and witnesses at a trial has no bearing on the standard of proof - how to assess guilt or innocence - given this facts. A trial alone doesn't mean a guilty outcome, just as providing the full facts to the Senate "jury" doesn't mean persecution. It is just what we would ask for in any trial - the best possible information to assess the question.
Can you share where you see it differently?
3
@M.Houston Well putting aside that his guilt is in pain view if you choose to look, he is still sitting in the White House spending your tax dollars because he hasn't been convicted. Rest assured he won't. He's doing Democrats a huge election favor. Trump, if you look at his so-called career, always bets wrong and goes bust. Democrats are going to own the Senate on the morning of November 4th and it will be a breath of fresh air for the whole country.
Whether impeachable or not, the president’s political motives in pressuring Ukraine were wrong. More importantly, however, for the future our democracy is the looming question of whether this president is sane. The impeachment proceedings involve the dangerous actions of a man who believes Thomas Edison is still living and that the wheel is an American invention. If mental incompetence isn’t an impeachable event, it should be. There are facilities in this country where old men with dementia can live—but the White House is not one of them.
20
And that, children, is why Mr. Trump should be removed from office under Article 25. To our Republican friends, you may feel better about it if it’s framed as for Trump’s own good.
8
Maybe it’s a good thing that McConnell’s corrupt Senate will not allow evidence or witnesses into the Impeachment trial of Donald Trump. If evidence were entered, it would only be spun, mutilated and projected onto Biden or Obama or Hillary or the Socialist Dems in general, by Trump’s hired guns. If evidence were entered, Trump would need to distract us once again from the matter at hand. He’d have to summon his generals and call for a military action that would dwarf – in both scope and risk - his conveniently timed takeout of Suleimani. If evidence were entered, some might think that a shadowy phone call with the President of Ukraine was the only reason to remove President Trump and as such it falls short in impact.
This is about so much more than evidence of President Trump abusing his power and breaking his oath of office in regard to one phone call. It is now also about a corrupt, Republican led U.S. Senate which is functioning as if it was being run by Al Capone or John Gotti or perhaps most likely, Vladimir Putin.
The barring of evidence and witnesses is shining a bright light on the truth we are not permitted to see or hear.
12
Just thinking out loud here . . .
If Trump lost in November and if Biden won the election, I wonder if the Republicans would be yammering and badgering Biden for four years because of Hunter's position as a board member on that Ukrainian gas company, Burisma?
I can picture the Republicans doing and saying the same stuff they are accusing the Democrats of today.
5
@Marge Keller
No the people will vote the corrupt GOP out of office. These Impeach videos will be replayed in every campaign rally and to the GOP they wont be looking to good. The GOP cult party is going to RIP
Boeing has been responsible for several crashes and lives lost. The CEO was removed with millions of dollars as a pay off. Nikki Haley is on the board. Is she qualified to be on this board?. She wasn't qualified to be at the UN what did she do to enhance the world.
She is getting paid a six figure monthly salary and has no engineering experience. She complained about Hillarys speaking fee's but is making a hefty amount now
She was part of the Boeing board that believed in cost cutting and engaged in a massive cover of the accidents until the emails were exposed that the Boeing employees knew the planes were not fit for flight. In the past Boeing did not want to pay out, blamed the minority pilots played the race card. but now that the emails have been read they are reconsidering. A typical American trait blame minorities for your own faults.
Now that the truth is out the company wants to pay out to the families.
So the GOP all sit on boards and they are unqualified to be there.
Hunter just isn't Donald Trump Jr which would of made stealing money from Ukraine so much easier.
3
@Marge Keller: What the Republicans accuse the Democrats for is exactly what the Republicans did to Bill Clinton in his impeachment. They are again using Ken Star to attack the Democrats.
Being a conservative democrat, being open minded to social issues that really need attention, regardless of a party, will need to accept that money always wins, so to all those dreamers out there you have to accept that politicians in D.C. always vote their own, personal, wallet. So tell me did you think Congress will forget the one single, major event that was passed: the Tax Act of 2017 will change their personal vote? The upcoming 2020 election has already been determined, and it is another reason for a change, in he fix term limits of our Congressman, and Senators to six years, just like what we need for the president, a one term limit of six years.
2
Contrasting strategies? There is NO republican strategy. They will continue to blather and then, just because they have the power, will simply ignore all the evidence and acquit despite the evidence. They are analogous to the Party in 1984 insisting that 2+2=5. Unfortunately, much of the American public cannot add.
22
@Kakistocrat Belief supersedes fact with this crowd.
1
We know the Republican senators will exonerate President Trump. So now this is about the long game, not the trial in the Senate, but the trial in the court of public opinion. The original Trump mantra was "I didn't do it," expressed as "No quid pro quo!" Except there is a ton of proof that he DID do it. So his lawyers' argument is now, "Well yes, he did it, but it was only in pursuit of fighting corruption, and in any event his deeds don't constitute 'high crimes and misdemeanors.'" And they are also of course arguing that the President is being treated very unfairly.
The Republican senators can then simply say, "Yes, no high crimes and misdemeanors, case closed." Then President Trump can shift gears and begin ranting about how as his reward for being the greatest corruption-fighting president in U.S. history he was meanly dragged through an embarrassing impeachment procedure and trial, which was always destined to result in a finding of not guilty.
So the final "trial" will be that judged by the American people. In November, will at least 48% of us (as in 2016) be dumb and/or evil enough to buy this stuff and reelect Trump for another four years?
P.S. – Something else is really bugging me. This is that with the focus on the Bidens a much bigger issue has dropped off the radar. This is how in service to his Russian masters Trump used our military aid to prove his conspiracy theory that it was the Ukrainians, not the Russians, who subverted the 2016 election.
22
Its simple. The democrats strategy is to show the facts that prove the admitted to by the president crimes were in fact intentional criminal actions. The republican have been and will continue to do whatever they can to divert attention away from the admitted to by the president crimes.
Dems discuss facts and reality republicans scream rant and rave to distract you from the fact they are not disputing those facts because they cannot dispute them.
12
The President seems to extend executive privilege way out past the atmosphere. Where he says is executive privilege is nothing but executive poppycock.
Sam Ervin
Democrat--NC
8
@That's What She Said - Sam Ervin also litigated the Subpoenas rejected by Nixon and won. The House Democrats did shoddy in not litigating their own subpoenas as Mr. Ervin did.
1
Since when does "you just don't like me and are out to get me" become a defense against a crime or crimes? One can not like someone but if they commit a felony not liking them has no business in the trial.
And who withholds evidence if it will exonerate them? A bunch of guilty children. These people are acting like 6 year olds and we are supposed to respect them?
I don't ant to hear any blather about a "Partisan impeachment not being valid" - it is the Republicans who have been totally partisan for years now. But as a 6 year old does - they just turn all of their guilty actions on someone else. Pathetic
26
Ludicrous Complaint-if Republicans say Schiff is mischaracterizing the evidence--
Easy to Fix
Bring in the Witnesses and Documents
Stop whining when you can vote to fix it!
Ludicrous
22
If Trump weren’t such a jerk, it might be tempting to give him the benefit of absolutely no doubt. Then again, if the sun didn’t set in the evening, it would be easier to see.
9
@J It is not that Trump is a jerk. It is that trump is and always was a blatant liar.
Cipollone will have to,invent a scenario if he intends to hammer on the point that Impeachment is intended to overturn an election.Everyone knows that Trump won the electoral college but not the popular vote-he was not elected in a landslide.When the voters had a chance to rethink their votes in 2018 they elected 41 Democrats to replace Republicans in the House.If the Senate continues to obstruct and obfuscate they will lose some seats-they seem not to fear the voters in 2020-they should!
13
@JANET MICHAEL
How many times can Sekelow and Cipollone say, the words "hoax, witch hunt and unfair" over the course of their 16 hours of defense?
Be prepared to count.
I'm sure their whole defense will be focused on Bill Clinton's acquittal (for lying about one measly consensual affair) to rationalize their plan to acquit Trump.
5
@JANET MICHAEL
Cipollone is from Hollywood casting, he doesn't have to be able to think but look like a TV series lawyer. Trumps lawyers are a second act to the main attraction. Trump wanting to sit in the front roll and tell stupid stories that make no sense.
2
“This is unfair” may be something a child tells his parents when he has been grounded but last time I checked “this is unfair” is not a legal defense to anything.
24
This is not Adam Schiff's first rodeo. The man is brilliantly presenting an air-tight case against Trump. The Republican Senators will acquit, but they will do so after hearing damning evidence of Trump's guilt. And those Republicans in Blue states will pay the price.
30
@Blue in Green
I hope the Republicans decimate themselves by ignoring the overwhelming evidence and voting to keep Trump in office knowing he will do more damage to our democracy.
Because, I like the vast majority of American voters, simply cannot wait for the pleasure of removing this arrogant liar (and his Senate accomplices) from office this November.
Expect a massively stinging rebuke of Donald Trump in November, the likes of which the whole world (except Putin of course) will thoroughly embrace.
8
I look at this from the viewpoint of a military veteran. If called on to risk life and limb, we go. Our oath and culture demand it. If we weren't willing we should get out and not hide in cowardice and avoid performance of our duty.
We have representatives with an even more serious responsibility to the nation who aren't even willing to risk their jobs. Any Senator who makes decisions based on a fear of being voted out is a coward.
I don't buy the Lindsey Graham argument that they're just doing what their voters want. They are doing what SOME of their voters want, but not all. When it comes to constitutional principles, slim majorities do not get to selectively ignore those they find inconvenient. Representatives have a duty to reject unconstitutional majoritarian impulses. Failure to do so is a beach of duty and a sign of cowardice.
102
@Some Dude
they won't vote to give you and all vets the benefits they were promised and deserve. what they do give is open to fraud and abuse of the vet.
Do you really think any of these men and women vote on anything that is not fear based?
Fear, and the inability to face and accept it is the number one reason for bullies/cowards being so insecure to begin with. Fear not overcome as a child comes to drive every single thing in the mind. That is why "The only thing we need to fear is fear itself." It is the most powerful emotion as it trumps all others.
4
@magicisnotreal
With all due respect, I do not buy into the cynicism. We the people need to buck up and hold our representatives responsible. It needs to be a "no cowards allowed" club. Old fashioned statesmanship.
Putin's lie is "they're all the same". Not so. Listen to the words said in the hearings. They're not all the same.
As far as fraud on vets, I'm more exercised about fraud on citizens. Any president who's lies need to be tallied by the minute is a fraud on the people. Vets I know aren't standing around with their hand out. We still want our constitution defended and adhered to.
8
@Some Dude
You just repeated what I said and added something about Putin. ??
How exactly is asking for what one is owed a hand out? Don't answer.
1
"Don't confuse us with the facts because our minds are already made up."
Would not be surprised if that's what Trump's defense team and most Republican Senators are really thinking.
23
@Marge Keller
Lindsay Graham actually said "I'm not going to look at the evidence, I already know I am going to acquit." I cannot say that is an exact quote after the word 'evidence'. But it does convey the meaning of what he said.
6
Once again, since the President is innocent, he can just let the witnesses testify and clear this all up very quickly.
Unfortunately, he can’t.
26
@Grove
So simple, Donald.
Let your peeps testify on your behalf!
3
@Grove: It is always the Conservatives who say: "If you are innocent, you would testify."
So, we have a trial in which one side wants to allow no witnesses, and only a few documents. This alone should make people pause and question the President and all his henchmen, whether they be his private attorney's, or the pathetic Senators hanging on his coattails, claiming loyalty to a man who has none to speak of. If they have nothing to hide, then why the desperate attempts at continued obfuscation? Why not show us, if everything is so a-okay? No matter what the outcome of the impeachment trial itself, what the GOP do not seem to realize is that the brazen corruption of Trump and the sad demise of the once proud Republican party, which has devolved into a stagnation of generally old, white has-beens loyal to a man who knows nothing and values even less, is there for everyone to see. Try moving forward as a party with people like McConnell, Graham, or McCarthy representing what they party has to offer. And these Republican stalwarts, in their foolish short term vanity and aims, have managed to turn off anyone who thinks facts and laws are important, have managed to disgust most women, have managed to alienate all people of color, anyone who is gay, almost everyone under thirty, most college educated people, all those who think science and climate change are real, and all those who value the American Constitution. Who, exactly, is left? And how do those remaining in Trump's ever more willfully ignorant base represent the future in any way, shape or form?
27
". . . the House managers have focused on the facts."
" . . . the defense team has focused that impeachment is a sham and unfair to Mr. Trump."
Hmmm - tangible facts vs. emotional assertions.
And guess which way the bulk of Republicans will vote?
19
@Marge Keller
Facts vs. emotional hysteria is pretty much it.
1
Then there's trump proclaiming, "We have all the material and they don't!" is the epitome of chutzpah. Brazen self-interest is not a good look for anyone let alone a whole party. Disheartening to say the least for our democracy.
17
@MaryO
Add that video to the multitude of "Obstruction of Congress" charges.
First hand testimony is always persuasive.
3
Is anyone bothering to take into account the damage being done overseas by this kangaroo court of an impeachment trial? America has changed from a shining beacon of light to a corrupt cesspool. Draining the swamp, I don't think so.
We have abdicated the high ground. We are no longer a country of laws. The takeaway for other countries is that the president is above the law. We have become a brutal monarchy supported by willing sycophants.
40
Trump’s team is not interested in defending him as per the facts, because the facts are damning. They know the Senate won’t convict him, and that the Trump base doesn’t care. Thus, they can happily proclaim that the Dems are making a mountain out of a mole hill, that the whole business is a hoax (and so unfair!) and that the liberal media and blue states are just trying to cancel out the 2016 election results. The base displays willful ignorance and the pols a deep and terrifying cynicism. Where will it end? One hopes in 2020.
29
@Judith Nelson
Only ends if Putin doesn't have control of our voting machines.
If Ivanka Trump can get a trademark for a patent machine, think what Vladimir and his
cyber security henchmen can do.
Dems need to focus on electronic voting machines being programmed to change votes to Trump and Republican candidates..
1
As a psychologist, I am aware that the beliefs of most people are minimally affected by facts. Most of us decide what we want to believe and then distort the input to fit our preconceptions. Republicans know this; Democrats have yet to catch on and need to get with the game. Republicans, who represent the actual interests of a small fraction of voters, have been eating their lunch for decades. We're watching it happen again.
10
@rawebb1 I for one hope I never "get with the game"!
3
"But Mr. Schiff has also become a lightning rod among Republicans who seethed at what they saw as his self-righteousness and accused him repeatedly of mischaracterizing the evidence. He has become such a favorite villain for Republicans that they use him to rally their side."
Bothsidesing everything. Reporters always taking pains to present the two sides as of equal weight, the arguments as being of equal merit. It is absurd. It will be the downfall of our democracy.
What if these beltway insiders simply printed the truth--that the republicans are systematically engaging in a brazen cover-up?
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@Nigel Incubator-Jones
Good point.
Focus on single fact that conjures up a clear picture for voters.
With Hilary it was "emails, emails, emails".
With Trump it's "Cover-up. Cover-up. Cover-up."
2
Unfair to Donald Trump...
What about us, US citizens? What about my dad, who fought in WWII for several years straight and my father-in-law, who did the same, without a break; what about my husband’s cousin who is buried in Arlington because, as a military pilot, he died in flight; and what about my husband, a Vietnam veteran? Don’t they deserve better than this country’s citizens, including them, being accused of being “unfair” to Donald Trump who tried to sell them out?
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@MIMA
Love that Nadler showcases videos of Dershowitz' and Lindsey Graham's previous statements that impeachment charges do not technically have to be crimes.
1
What in the world is the Defense going to talk about for 24 hours? They've got nothing but whining about the process and now they control the process. It's going to be excruciating.
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@Jenny
Excruciating for Republicans and their Fox News viewers...but not for you and I who will turn off the tv after the third pathetic "witch hunt" defense tactic and just bask in the glow of the superb Impeachment presentations by the Democratic House Managers.
Congratulations Schiff, Nadler and the other fine Dem presenters.
You far exceeded expectations.
Since the GOPers refuse to protect our democracy and remove this lunatic before he catapults us into a world war, we Voters will have the pleasure of removing Trump and hand him a resounding, humiliating, landslide loss in November.
5
@Jenny For 24 hours they will claim that today's economy is "the greatest economy of all time" and then rattle off made up accomplishments of their dear leader and then ask the ultimate question: why would you impeach the greatest president of all time?
1
It's Laughable to hear republican lawyers whining about fairness to trump and how impeachment would be the undoing of an election. I'll tell you what unfairness is. Unfairness is denying a sitting president, twice elected by a majority of the electorate, the right to have a senate hearing of his supreme court nominee with a full year left in his presidency. Now thats what unfairness looks like, unfairness not only to that president (Obama), but also to the majority of Americans who voted for him twice. Now we have the justifiable impeachment of a president who is guilty of high crimes, who actually cheated in the last election with the help of the Russians, is still trying cheat in the next election with foreign help, and who, even with all his cheating, attained the presidency in a shaky electoral college victory with 3 million less votes than his opponent. Even if he is removed from office, as he certainly deserves to be, the republicans will still keep the executive with Pence as president, so how then is impeachment the undoing of an election? It only means an unfit man is removed from office and justice is done for once, and most Americans will breath a sigh of relief.
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@Coop
Pence is part of this massive cover up, he wont be sitting in that chair. This cover up is capturing everyone in the white house and the entire administration excluding Ben Carson the only minority who is allowed to destroy communities quietly.
However we are watching him and his destructive policies. I believe he is being mentored by Jared slumlord king of the country especially in NJ and Boston.
Vote ,protest, stand up and force accountability for change and character.
When they are out of office we will never forget what this GOP administration has done and how capable they are for money to destroy our country
Social media is a tool of the Russians so remember that the next time you believe a facebook Impeachment article
5
@Coop I can only assume more people are in on the corruption than we even know. Including Pence and the GOP senators. Otherwise they wouldn’t be fighting so hard to hide the truth. The trust must mean too hard of a hit to the party, and loss of control. Pelosi is next in line if they all go down, after all.
Defense lawyer McGovern argues: "everyone knows what Mr. Trump did, but that Republicans simply do not believe it was worthy of impeachment."
This raises the question whether Senators could vote first on the two House charges -- abuse of power and blocking evidence -- before a final vote on impeachment. That would provide Republican Senators with the opportunity to declare their President guilty as charged but maintain that his behaviour was not worthy of impeachment.
In a criminal trial, the jury decides if the accused is guilty as charged, or not guilty, and if they convict, the trial judge decides on an appropriate sentence.
Could the two votes be separated under the Senate's rules -- so we could have public censure by a majority of Senators (with significant Republican support) without obtaining a two-thirds majority for impeachment? Chuck Schumer should push for separate votes on the two charges before the final vote on impeachment to distinguish Republican Senators that agree that the House's charges are valid on the basis of the evidence from those who maintain, as Trump insists, that he did nothing wrong. That is very different from an impeachment vote on whether he should be removed from office before the November election. Separate these votes!
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@Wally
How can Republicans deny that Trump has refused to comply with congressional subpoenas?
1
When a known criminal goes on trial with a long history of lying since he set foot in the WH, it isn't hard to believe him capable of anything and everything. The evidence is strong against him but his reputation precedes him as well. History will prove him guilty.
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@Betsy Herring
History... but first this forthcoming election will prove him guilty as sin in the court of public opinion.
In a world of rational thought and logic the "House Managers" have already made their case based on factual evidence which seems irrefutable and undeniably presents Trump as someone who has ignored his duty as POTUS to unconstitutionally seek political gain at the expense (both financial and moral) of the American people. But we are no longer living in a rational world of factual evidence and clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong. We are living in 2020 where the president of the United States tells lies to the American people daily and the American people believe what they hear from their reliable sources is "Fake News"because they want to believe what they hear from their sources. America will not survive as a "representative democracy" if the American people cannot distinguish fake news from reality. We will not survive as a democracy if we continue to be swayed by social media sources that want to see American power diminished. So far our enemies have done a good job of sowing doubt about our government and keeping a foolish narcissistic charlatan in the position of POTUS.
7
@RLW Republicans do not want a representative democracy. They want a nation governed by Christian law. That is why they don't mind destroying the Constitution. They don't believe in it.
The Republican Impeachment defence table for the most part have acted like the cast of an Alice In wonderland Tea Party.
If #2 Russian asset Senator Mitch McConnell has his way, America will witness a Joseph Stalin Era Russian trial, and then watch Vladimir Putin's firing squad gun down America's Democracy.
The election in 2018 of the current United states Senate was violated by Russian GRU Intelligence Officers,
in favor of Republican candidates.
5
Mr. Cipollone ought to be loudly called out for calling Mr. Schiff a liar in his opening remarks. As the article points out, it is Mr. Cipollone who was economical with the truth. This is seems to be the President and the GOP's main rhetorical tool. Do something bad, awful, or illegal, and blame it on everyone else. Mr. Cipollone's conduct was unworthy of the seriousness of this trial.
36
I'm weepy. What a tragedy.
5
Deflection, feigned ignorance, what-aboutism, screaming, distractions, these are not strategies for a trial, they are how you win a bar fight or those fake arguments they have before a wrestling match, not a trial with America's future at stake. They are trying to position this as a political battle instead of a battle for the soul of our nation. Their "see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil" defense shows me that the Republican party is dead, in November we will learn if that's the case for our Republic.
13
Seem to be a couple of mistakes here. First, didn't the Dems know that Schiff would be an unattractive face for the prosecution, and that Nadler would be even worse (the need to admonish Nadler was a telling point)? Why not find some less familiar faces with a more consolatory manner?
Next, why imagine that endless reiteration of the Dems' case would be anything but stultifying? "Brevity," tasked Shakespeare "is the soul wit." Instead, the Dems chose "tedious." There is a very limited human capacity to assimilate material, especially as dense as the trial material. No one got that?
Come on, fellers, get to the point and close the book.
@David. Justice, as well as history appreciates the full record.
What it comes down to is what Trump's said all along: I'm President. I'm ABOVE the law! And McConnell and the GOP are agreeing with him and supporting that.
Trump literally can admit to wrongdoing, then say ,'whatareyagunnadoaboutit?' And the republicans will back him.
He's bulletproof, due entirely to republican complicity.
Throw the bums out! ALL of them!
14
If we want to better understand Trump supporters, we should think of them as His congregation. He is their savior and cult leader, many believing he was called by their Christian God. He preaches lies to their fears about things they don’t understand…of the evil other and empowers their sense of victimhood. And most importantly, He tells them they are not responsible, but who specifically to blame/hate with untrue, schoolboy taunts/smears they understand. He becomes their simple minded and unquestioning truth. He is the only answer, and anyone opposing them/Him is assaulting them. Do not deceive yourself into thinking your facts, reason and respect for all Americans can penetrate their ignorance armor….it can’t…only your vote can.
7
Message to the Republican Senators…………
How about you, all of you, take a walk through Arlington National Cemetery and look at all those white marble headstones………Those people, those true patriots gave their all, gave their lives to protect the very thing you are today are making a mockery of - our rule of law……..They showed the ultimate in courage while you Republican Senators - including President Trump - are showing nothing but calloused, hypocritical cowardliness…….
And yes, in voting for witnesses and documents you may lose your next election by doing the right, the honorable thing………..
And so what if you do - You will still have your exorbitant retirement pension, your lucrative lobbying potential and the knowledge, the satisfaction of knowing that you protected the Constitution from Mitch McConnell's and Donald Trump's onslaughts to weaken it…….
Republican Senators, join the true patriots, join all those that went before you and gave so much more than is being asked of you today…….Show some courage before you make a mistake that will forever be a blight on your memory, your legacy………
Legitimize this process, this sham " trial" and vote to bring in witnesses and documents to this current proceeding………….
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@RB
Perfect, those brave men never had the lives that they should of lived. They died for America and we the living have no more patience to listen to the lies of men,women who care nothing for this country.
Thank you for brining reality into these comments
1
If my 1980 self was told that I would wake up one morning in 2020 to read about strategies for the Senate impeachment hearing of a U.S. President when the day before, the President gave an interview in which he proclaimed the wheel was invented in the U.S., I would really think the world was stark raving nuts.
108
Outstanding. Trump's great great great great grandfather invented it.
11
@Kathy
It is. These people are determined to keep gaslighting until people are so exhausted and confused you could argue their own name with them. We all need to Stand Firm.
8
@Kathy
It's good we got eased into it, right? My head is spinning but our Republican brethren seem fine with it. I wonder how low we will go on this descent. Will we still be trustworthy with our nukes? Dangerous times. Putin's destabilization program is fantastically successful but ultimately a bad idea.
9
One side has a case, the other, nothing.
45
The Republicans have apparently decided to support Trump instead of the Constitution.
They are required to pledge impartiality in the trial, but they obviously don’t take it seriously. By doing that, they are mocking the Constitution, which they have also have pledged to support and defend.
They are pledging allegiance to Donald Trump.
It appears they are tired of America and it’s Constitution.
“Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president.” -Theodore Roosevelt
109
"Mr. Trump’s White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, a longtime civil litigator, has been as combative as his client, the president, both in angry letters he signed during the House phase declaring that the executive branch would not participate...". Why does he continue to say that the House proceedings did not allow any of Trump's lawyers to be present? Schiff really needs to correct any misconceptions about this and call him out on it.
40
@lrb945
Schiff is amazing... but I fear he too is falling into typical Democratic complacency. Call a lie out for what it is... A LIE.
8
I would like to see the managers succinctly wrap up in one or two sentences the ludicrous opposing arguments that 1. Trump did nothing wrong, and 2. Even though he did it, it is not impeachable, and 3. a sitting president cannot be impeached and 4. it's not unconstitutional. Most of the public does not have 12 or 10 hours to be glued to their tvs.
I'm retired and so have the time to do this. Following the plot with so many characters, time lines, and legalities is a lot to expect for people working 40-80 hours a week. A few really catchy sound bites capturing the heart of the issue and the why is really needed before the end of our presentation.
Short, unforgettable, to the point. Without slurs.
9
@Mary We must understand though: With McConnell's outrageous rules for this sham "trial," what the House impeachment managers are trying to do is get down all the details of Trump's violations of our Constitution, for history.
They know the "trial" is rigged--especially for GOP Senators like Kennedy , who somehow apparently finds lots of the House's presentation to be new stuff he hadn't heard before! But in the long run, facts--and fact witnesses--will condemn for permanent history the Republicans of both Houses of Congress, for slavishly defending an appallingly abusive president. All we can hope for is that, like a dike against a raging ocean, our Constitution holds against Trump's onslaught.
5
When something is said to be "unfair," it's usually coming from a child. It's unfair that a little kid has to go to bed earlier than his older siblings, unfair that his parents will toss out most of his Halloween candy haul, unfair he must do homework before watching TV. How apt then that Trump's defense lawyers are calling "unfair" for him.
I don't believe, though, that he and his impeachment attorneys will draw much sympathy or new support from that legal argument. Trump was born solid golden. Unfair is not starting adulthood with hundreds of millions of dollars from daddy. Unfair is not getting constantly dug out of bankruptcies by banks and Russian mafia. Unfair is definitely, really not having behind you the power of the American presidency, million-dollar attorneys and a sell-out Republican majority in the Senate, all willing to life for you. It is too bad, however, he has no facts on his side.
37
@Peggy Rogers
"When something is said to be "unfair," it's usually coming from a child."
When something is said to be "unfair" it usually comes from one of the 99% who had seen their life choices stunted or destroyed by the oligarchy.
There, fixed it for you.
3
The impeachment and trial process was and is a political process, especially now. The starkly partisan votes, in both the house and senate, reflect that. The GOP controls the senate and few GOP senators want to vote against a President who has the support of nearly 90% of the party's voters. Even if some might want to, what incentive do most of the GOP senators have to vote for conviction? They will get little or no credit from Democrats or Independents while incurring the anger of their own base.
4
@Want2know You write: "... what incentive do most of the GOP senators have to vote for conviction?" 1) To be seen as honest, 2) to uphold their oaths, and 3) to be judged on the 'right side' of history.
10
@Want2know
Republican Senators need an incentive to do their job with integrity? Vote 'em out in November; that kind of dishonesty doesn't belong in the Senate.
3
It all has been too repetitious. They need more spark, a novel way of presenting it, something with imagination. And as is now woefully apparent, they should have entered this thing with testimony already in hand from Bolton, Pompeo, and others, which they could have waited for. Hopefully it will come now. But what a gamble.
4
So they should have entered the thing with testimony they would never be able to receive? The arguments for the defense are perverse - that is when they are not outright lying.
17
@ M Brown
The executive branch wanted those subpoenas so they could stretch them out in the courts. Democrats didn’t want to play that game.
4
@M brown, You seem to want entertainment. I think the trial managers have done a terrific job thus far, laying out their case on Wednesday in a (novel) chronological order that was not possible when listening to individual witnesses testifying before the House Intelligence Committee. I know I was able to follow events much more easily and appreciated the targetted use of relevant video clips.
15
It’s not to sides or two parties, it’s two countries. The faster we formalize this the better.
Or we can keep ignoring the root cause and blame everything and anything else.
8
By vowing to impeach him long ago, they’ve made this whole process look illegitimate and partisan from the start.
Moderates and middle voters won’t be swayed by Democrats’ theatrics
4
@Me Too I heard a thoughtful, cogent presentation of facts yesterday. The facts are not partisan, they are just facts. The end result is a compelling case for the removal of the President.
75
The Democrats rejected the last election proclaiming “not my President”, and vowed to impeach him. They literally rejected democracy because they didn’t like the outcome of one election. A terrible undermining of our system.
This transparent political attack is weak and broadens greatly the supposed reasons for impeachment. Anything done for political gain is an impeachable offense? This will encourage partisan attacks for many years.
So sad.
No quid pro quo, anyway. No investigation happened. Though, it should as obviously the Biden’s have some explaining to do
This is all a sham and many people know it
4
@Joe Yoh
Actually, many more people DON'T think it was a sham. A majority of voters approve of impeachment, and even more believe the trial is unfair of witnesses are not going to be called.
The facts are, what other people are saying is more factual and important than what you're saying right now.
55
@Joe Yoh Not so, Mr. Yoh. "Not my President" was the rallying cry used by the anti-Obama faction of the GOP (ie. all of them). If you have paid attention to what is going on, it's clear that one side has unimpeachable evidence (all puns intended), and that the other side is simply using slurs and lies as their battering ram. The tired chestnut that would have that the Democrats have been trying to impeach Mr. Trump forever is also simply not correct. Mr. Trump has been impeached for acting in ways that are contrary to the Constitution and against our national interest. And that is based on the evidence that we already have. The fact that the President has blocked the testimony of key witnesses and is, still, hiding evidence, is so contrary to the spirit of democracy that we are all imperiled by it.
30
If this was all about aDemocrat, you'd be screaming, and you know it. And you what else? So would most Democrats, because we actually expect and demand that our elected representatives behave ethically. That's the difference, and that's why republicans are in power: their voters don't care about ethics and morality unless a Democrat is in their sites.
9
It is also important to understand WHY this impeachment is being sought at this time and not last year. According to the Constitution, an impeached President who is removed from office by the decision of the Senate cannot hold a future office. Thus, Donald Trump would be unable to run for re-election. BUT, the Republican Party would also not be able to offer a candidate for the Presidency. While Mike Pence would become President upon the removal of Trump, he could not run in 2020, nor could anyone else, because the Primary process has already started. Nobody could compete in Republican primaries, because only the later ones, perhaps, and depending upon how long this takes, could have a Republican candidate. Unless something in each state intervenes. Theoretically, the Republican Party internal procedures could choose somebody, but you see what would happen. Effectively, impeaching President Donald Trump in mid-2020 could deny the Republicans a chance to have a presidential candidate.
@Francis Walsingham
Or perhaps it was because he was so brazenly corrupt it could no longer be ignored.
76
Whatever you need to tell yourself
Either party can make their rules for nominating a candidate.
If the primary rules need tweaking they will
To think they won’t have a candidate is ludicrous
31
@ Francis
Trump has already been impeached and he is running for president in 2020.
Perhaps you have confused “impeached” with “removed”?
10