Granted. However,
it could prove problematic. By disenfranchising voters from choosing electors, a state could, in theory, lose its entire congressional delegation.
I don’t think the law would survive the Supremes, even as rightward-tilting as this set is. The Constitution mandates that the Feds guarantee the states have a republican government, not a “Republican” one. Even with the blows they have given to voting rights, the outright ignoring of the popular vote would be beyond the pale, no matter what the Founders thought. The 14th Amendment and equal protection still have a little weight at that level. It would be effectively disenfranchising over half the state. Shit, I don’t think any judge would stand for that.
ninja’d, dammit!
It took me a long time to format that post. You must be getting slow in my old age.
ONE period! Were they in short supply, rationed, held hostage? I don’t suppose we, the citizens, could have a plain language constitution? [/s]
Yes I know that rewriting anything would involve years of court cases about original intent and the divine words of our floundering fathers.
Point of order: Wordplay about Founding/floundering fathers aside, I’m confident that NONE of the founding fathers were involved in the drafting and passage of Amendment Fourteen.
At least two (and I’ve heard more, though I can’t find documentation of it) of Individual 1’s impeachment lawyers have already resigned.
And for good reason. They felt that the noble principles of democracy should be at least partially mitigated by the wisdom of the few educated elite, such as themselves, against the whims of the ignorant masses.
Today, unfortunately, the ignorant masses are running rampant, education and facts are reviled, the very word “elite” has turned into a term of disparagement, and the nation has turned into exactly the opposite of what the founders had envisioned.
Here’s another story.
Former President Donald J. Trump has abruptly parted ways with the lead lawyer handling his impeachment defense, just over a week before the Senate trial is set to begin, a person familiar with the situation said on Saturday.
Butch Bowers, a South Carolina lawyer whose hiring was announced last week, will no longer be part of Mr. Trump’s legal team, the person familiar with the situation said. Neither will Deborah Barbier, a criminal defense lawyer in South Carolina who was also reported to be joining.
The decision was “mutual,” the person said, noting that Mr. Trump and Mr. Bowers had no chemistry, a quality the former president generally prizes in his relationships. Mr. Trump prefers lawyers who are eager to appear on television to say that he never did anything wrong; Mr. Bowers has been noticeably absent in the news media since his hiring was announced.
…
My bold.
What, Rudy and Sidney and Lin no longer available?
[/snerk]
The Twitter-deprived twit is apparently desperate for all the positive news he can get.
He’s almost certain to be acquitted by the Senate, but on the last Bill Maher show, Katie Couric mentioned that it only takes a simple majority to block him from ever running again, and that this is independent of whether he is successfully convicted on the impeachment charge. That last bit is news to me.
No matter how much cheaper another team is, they couldn’t possibly do worse.
Yep. Besides ThelmaLou’s NYT source, CNN is reporting it now too.
Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier, who were expected to be two of the lead attorneys, are no longer on the team. A source familiar with the changes said it was a mutual decision for both to leave the legal team. As the lead attorney, Bowers assembled the team.
Josh Howard, a North Carolina attorney who was recently added to the team, has also left, according to another source familiar with the changes. Johnny Gasser and Greg Harris, also from South Carolina, are no longer involved with the case, either.
IANAL, and I’m confident that if they hired me, I’d do worse (quite possibly intentionally). I may not be cheap, though.
ETA: With all his lawyers quitting, he may NEED me! My price just quintupled.
Or, Trump, being better than everyone at everything, could just represent himself.
Sure they could. The Orange Peril could hire Marjorie Taylor Greene, who would call for the immediate execution of all plaintiffs, whoever they might be.
ETA: Oooh … she’s on great terms with him. too! 
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/30/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-phone-call-trump/index.html
She’s not a lawyer. Granted, The Three Stooges Law Firm aren’t lawyers in any real sense either but Greene would not be allowed to act as an attorney in any court(I think).
That article I posted said that the lawyers are leaving because Individual 1 wants to claim that the election was stolen as his defense.
Yes, it sounds like they argued for a procedural approach (“you can’t impeach me because I’m not president”), but he wants to go with “teh election fraud!!!”
Maybe they were afraid they wouldn’t get paid.
CNN says no retainer letters were signed.
Five attorneys leave team less than two weeks before trial
Ethics may not let them argue a case they know to be bullshit?