Or, as he is known in The White House, The Mess.
Here’s something I haven’t heard before regarding the Senate testimony of WH insiders resisting subpeonas:
“Chief Justice John Roberts could rule on the scope of executive privilege with respect to these high-ranking administration officials as well as any diplomats, national security staff or budget office staff barred up until now by the White House from providing evidence. Under the Senate rules, the chief justice’s decision would be final, subject only to a vote of the full Senate.”
Is this likely? Will it make the Dems’ case stronger, even if Trump’s minions all show up and plead the 5th like two-bit mobsters?
I also am confused as to how the Senate trial will work. Will questions of relevance be decided like in a criminal trial – attorneys say “Objection! Relevance!” and the presiding judge (CJOTUS Roberts) makes a ruling?
Or are these questions determined in advance by “rules of the Senate” (ie, McConnell) Which is like: “rules? in a knife fight?”
I don’t think any of us knows how this is going to play out in the Senate trial. In the two previous impeachment proceedings within my memory, the Democrats and Republicans agreed in a bipartisan manner over the rules that would control the hearings. That won’t happen this time.
My prediction is that the Republicans won’t call any witnesses.
But can’t the Dems call them? I’d love to hear Roberts compel those chickenshits to appear.
The Republicans have no interest in actually participating.
They are not even pretending to be impartial, and they just want to get this over with, Constitution and Country be damned.
Yes, but I’m talking about the ***Dems ***calling witnesses, and Roberts compelling them to appear.
No cross-examination, no paying attention to what is going on.
I don’t care what they do or don’t do, unless they start coughing “Blowjob!” I want to see the WH insiders fighting these subpeonas be compelled to answer questions under oath – if only to torpedo the ridiculous claim that “we haven’t heard from both sides.”
Well, that’s what McConnell wants. Trump has other ideas:
McConnell, of course, calls the shots here, but I can’t help wondering what Trump will due if his pent-up rage is not allowed expression in the circus he envisions. A series of impotently angry tweets? This is not a man who shrugs off this sort of thing.
For the sake of the country, one would hope he’d implode.
I’ve always been under the impression that if I for instance failed to attend my trial or participate at all, that I would be convicted.
Lots of things are set up this way, especially for the poor and middle class when dealing with the justice system. Good outcomes can be encouraged. Lets get to it. You may be considered innocent, but only until you fail to cooperate with the law or the constitution. I consider trump not to be a criminal defendant but a bad employee and job seeker who needs to be removed.
So, considering the clear motive to acquit despite the evidence (as I see it. If anyone has an alibi for Trump & co., please share it), at what point does the GOP become a bunch of confederates? Inviting foreign powers to tilt an election to keep an above-the-law executive in power? Hard to imagine a less patriotic position, but I am sure these guys will be along with one soon.
I think the Senate Republicans will just ‘yadda yadda’ the emphasized (by me) bit away. They have consistently avoided answering any and all questions on the topic of Presidents calling on foreign powers to influence elections. That’s a forbidden subject. Because after all, the Unitary Executive head can do whatever he damn well pleases, and it will turn out to be for the good of the entire nation! Because mystical magical reasons!
Republicans in the Senate will occupy themselves by following the lead of those in the House: complaining about those Awful, Awful Democrats and How Rude They Are to Our Great President. End of story.
nm
Why would they need to participate? They’ve already decided Trump is innocent, no matter what evidence MIGHT be presented.
Party over Country, and a pox on their houses.
They can do that, but it will be increasingly hollow. They have sold themselves for years as the Moral Majority and the True Defenders of Mom, baseball and apple pie. God’s party, yanno? And now they are cashing that ALL in to defend inviting foreign powers to rig an election.
I don’t see them maintaining any moral authority going forward. And their chaining themselves to religion seems likely to backfire- after all that yammering about Jesus, they are actually one big gang of crooks. The moral? Never trust a Bible-beater, they aren’t lying only about talking snakes, but literally everything. My values are superior as I am capable of intellectual honesty.
I can’t see a way it isn’t an utterly foolhardy move, unless the benefits of a little over a year more of Trump are just that astounding. Yeah, an criminal idiot as the head of the party. Good luck and good grief.
What everyone needs to know is that the Republicans are done with democracy – finished.
The impeachment isn’t the beginning of the end; it’s the end of the beginning of their attempt to destroy the power of ordinary people to have influence on their own government. After impeachment, a new phase begins.
As I’ve said, it gets worse - much worse - before it gets better.
You will see.
I hope you’re wrong, but I fear you’re right.
There are now two kinds of people in this country, those who believe in the US as a pluralistic democratic nation, and those who don’t. For the latter, the pluralism is what constitutes, at base, the reason for their rejection of democracy.
Look at what Bill Barr is doing and saying as the head of the DoJ. He’s made absolutely no bones about the fact that he is going to operate as Trump’s attack dog because he believes in the power of the executive branch to advance conservative causes. Look at what Trump is saying about Chris Wray. Together, they’re trying to plant the seed, trying to lay down the groundwork, trying to establish consent for whatever comes next.
You need to have a burning hatred of conservatives and what they’re trying to do to you. If you don’t, then you’re just letting them prison rape you, and you deserve what you get, which is a stolen country. Rage is good.