Category: Senate

Senate Republicans’ latest cover-up excuse: Trump will obstruct witnesses, so why bother?

Posted on by Laura Clawson

Senate Republicans are using Donald Trump’s obstruction of Congress as an excuse for letting him get away with obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. Trump would assert executive privilege to prevent former national security adviser John Bolton from testifying, they say, leading to a long court fight, so … there’s no point in having him testify.

“There will be parts of their testimony, they will be covered by executive privilege and parts that are not. Those have to be litigated. That'll take a couple of months to be able to go through the process,” according to Sen. James Lankford. Enough other Republicans say similar things for it to be a verified talking point, not just an individual concern.

There are so many problems with this. For one thing:

x

Okay, actually that was two points: Trump claiming executive privilege to shield himself in an impeachment trial would be unprecedented, and executive privilege is not a gag order on Bolton, who has already said that he would testify under subpoena.

Additionally, Republicans are talking about the courts taking too long. Guess who’s presiding over the impeachment trial? United States Chief Justice John Roberts. Gonna bet that he could short-circuit the court battle on this.

But beyond that, seriously, Republicans? I know your lack of shame knows no bounds, but “He doesn’t want the witnesses to testify so really there’s nothing to be done” would be pathetic if it was sincere. As it is, it’s simply one more piece of evidence of how far Republicans will go to maintain power, embracing the most ridiculous of excuses to avoid making even more details of Trump’s abuses of power public.

As a reminder, large majorities of Americans say the Senate should call witnesses in this impeachment trial, and it would take just four Republican senators to make it happen.

Dems Have Had A Chance To Show They Care For The Rule Of Law For Over 20 Years — And Failed

Posted on by Wayne Dupree

The Articles of Impeachment were a forgone conclusion, from the morning after the election, and before the then-GOP candidate, Donald Trump took over the Presidency.

The only question was which specific charges would be included. But, as Nancy Pelosi has infamously said earlier, you have to vote FOR them, to find out what they may contain.

The Democrat party has proven itself wholly and utterly unfit to lead. IF they had any involvement in the incredible past three years of economic development and wealth creation, they would at least be able to say they did something of value.

RELATED: Opinion: If The Dems Case Is So Strong And So Obvious, As They Insist, Why Need More Docs And Witnesses?

Still, they did nothing but “protest,” complain, and lie to the American people at every turn. The results of the upcoming election will be theirs to own, as voters take them to task for their failures. Seventy-five million (75,000,0000), that’s the number of votes Trump will get this election. Mark my word. Republicans will win at least one more seat in the Senate, and the Democrats will lose the House. You’ll see.

Democrats had the chance to show how much they care about Rule of Law numerous times over the past 20 years, starting in the late 90s with Clinton’s impeachment, and their vote that obstruction of justice didn’t warrant impeachment, to “sanctuary laws” and pretending immigration law is exempt from the concept of Rule of Law.

Rep. Adam Schiff keeps saying that there is overwhelming evidence that has been presented, and “the extensive evidence” that was collected in the House impeachment process will be given. So if the House has done its job, there’s no need for additional witnesses, and the Senate can make their determination on the case the House managers present.

Remember, every “star” witness called by the Democrats was asked on cross-examination if they witnessed the president committing any crimes – and everyone said “no.”

Let’s say this again. It is NOT the responsibility of the Senate to find evidence. That task is up to the House of Reps, which is what they are supposed to use to decide whether to bring Articles of Impeachment. Obviously, they’ve decided to bring Articles of Impeachment and then try to find evidence to support them.

RELATED: Opinion: This Impeachment Is Based Only On Political Desire And Opinion, Not The Constitution Or The Law

This is just a bunch of nervous Democrats fearing that if they don’t get rid of a president that is getting closer to exposing their dirty games and affecting their bank accounts, they will be out of a job.

Senate trials have ONE purpose. To remove officials who have done very serious crimes. Bill Clinton committed a felony (lying under oath), and he was not removed. Nixon committed a felony and resigned instead of going through a Senate trial in which he would have been pronounced guilty. What we are looking at here are hardly crimes, if crimes at all. They certainly are not worthy of a Senate trial.

Once you understand that, you know that this could be nothing other than a sham.

More Stories From WayneDupree.com

The post Dems Have Had A Chance To Show They Care For The Rule Of Law For Over 20 Years — And Failed appeared first on The Political Insider.

Tennessee senator tries to burn Adam Schiff, but Twitter roasts her almost instantly

Posted on by Walter Einenkel

Sen. Marsha Blackburn is well-known around these here parts for being a pretty detestable human being. Then again, detestability seems to be the only qualification for being a Republican senator these days. And Blackburn has indeed been doing her job as a Republican senator: groveling at the feet of Donald Trump while dismantling our democratic processes. 

As Donald Trump’s impeachment trial goes into another day, Republicans in the Senate are spending their time not paying attention with the deck already loaded, the fix already in. But having all of this obdurate criminality in place does not stop Republicans like Marsha Blackburn from being dumb as dirt. The senator from Tennessee decided to go and give her two cents, in a classic Republican attempt at gotcha-style politics:

x

Sorry! I should have warned you that your mind might be blown clear from your skull by Blackburn’s wit and wisdom. The Twitterverse very quickly realized that Marsha Blackburn had said something—something too stupid and unbelievably hubristic to let lie.

x

But people were also pissed.

x

Damn. “Guttersnipe” sounds awful.

x

x

And it didn’t stop. In fact, the ratio just took off on Sen. Blackburn

x

x

Some literature for Blackburn to read while she doesn’t fulfill her sworn oath on the Senate floor:

x

And some more reminders:

x

Before you knew it, #Marsha was trending. And not because The Brady Bunch is getting a reboot.

x

That Tweet is to remind people that Sen. Marsha Blackburn is trash.

x

And finally:

x

Trump poses ‘continuing threat’ to national interests, say House managers

Posted on by Nick Schifrin
On their second day of arguments in President Trump's Senate trial, House managers focused on their first article of impeachment, abuse of power. They accused Trump of "extorting" Ukraine's government by withholding $400 million in critical military aid and a White House meeting until Ukraine delivered an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Nick Schifrin reports.

How senators and the White House are reacting to Democrats’ abuse of power argument

Posted on by PBS NewsHour - Politics
House impeachment managers are now in their second day of prosecuting the case to remove President Trump from office. On Thursday, they laid out why they believe Trump abused his presidential power. Yamiche Alcindor and Lisa Desjardins join Judy Woodruff to discuss the Democrats' presentation, how senators in the chamber appeared to be receiving it and what we're hearing from Trump himself.

Susan Collins finds a principle to stand behind: Tattling on ‘both sides’ in the name of civility

Posted on by Joan McCarter

Just when you thought Maine Sen. Susan Collins couldn't get any worse, you find out she's a tattle-tale. Yes, the one thing that woke Chief Justice John Roberts out of his stupor during the ongoing impeachment trial was a note from Collins tattling on Rep. Jerry Nadler for being mean during his statement Tuesday night.

She told Politico she was "stunned" that Nadler would suggest that Senate Republicans were aiding in Trump's cover-up of his Ukraine dealings, and felt compelled to tell teacher Roberts that Nadler and White House counsel Pat Cipollone were breaking the rules. "So I did write a note raising the issue of whether there’d been a violation of the rules," she said. "I gave that note to [Senate Parliamentarian] Laura Dove and shortly thereafter the chief justice did admonish both sides. And I was glad that he did." Which is quintessential Collins: more concerned about decorum in the Senate chamber than Trump extorting a foreign leader to interfere in our election on his behalf. And clearly more invested in helping cover that up, since she voted against every single amendment brought by Democrats trying to expand the record with new witnesses and documents.

Collins has chosen her side, and Maine knows it. Please give $1 to help Democrats in each of these crucial Senate races, but especially the one in Maine!

Collins apparently also remains unconcerned with the behavior of her fellow Republicans, who are breaking all the rules set for them in an impeachment hearing by leaving the chamber for long stretches of time, chatting, snapping gum, doing crosswords, playing with toys, and reading books. She's not tattling to Roberts about that, and reminding him that he's supposed to keeping her colleagues in line. That’s presumably because it's Republicans and not "both sides" misbehaving.

Trump is abusing his power and obstructing Congress right now while impeachment trial continues

Posted on by Joan McCarter

In the middle of an impeachment trial in which Donald Trump is accused of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the Trump administration is brazenly abusing its power, flouting a court order, and ignoring Congress. Just this week, the administration deported an Iranian student against a judge's express order, and defied a congressional order to turn over a report.

Late Monday night, Customs and Border Patrol deported Shahab Abadi, a 24-year old Iranian citizen studying at Northeastern University, despite a federal judge's order blocking his deportation. CPB claims it didn't know about the order, and the judge has to just let it go, or is choosing to, because now that Abadi is out of the country, there's no longer a case. The administration is getting way with it. So far, it’s also getting away with seemingly arbitrarily using national security as a bogus excuse to justify Trump's tariffs, and refusing to show Congress its evidence even after Congress ordered that it be turned over.

The administration says it has a secret report declaring some imported cars are a national security risk. Yes, cars. Because some imported cars and trucks were "weakening our internal economy" and thus pose a national security threat. That's really what is argued in this report (if it truly exists, and that has been in question because this is the Trump administration we're talking about). Congress included a provision demanding that the administration turn over the report in the spending bill passed at the end of last year.

The administration might not be turning over that report because it does not exist, which is as likely as anything. But that's not the point. The point is the administration says there is a report and because it says the law doesn't matter, it doesn’t have to turn it over to Congress even though Congress ordered it. The Commerce Department argued in its memo refusing to comply that it is "not releasing the 232 autos report because releasing it now would interfere with the President’s ability to protect confidential executive branch communications and could interfere with ongoing negotiations," and says it has a Justice Department opinion that backs it up.

This has two Republican senators supposedly hopping mad. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania says "the Department of Commerce is willfully violating federal law" and he is "evaluating the potential for corrective action to compel the rightful release of this report." Chuck Grassley of Iowa says the Justice Department memo "doesn't seem to have much merit on its face. The law as passed by Congress is clear."

If they wanted to send a message to the administration, and to Trump, that he is not above the law, they've got a very ripe opportunity right now. But I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them to take it.

Chief Justice Roberts lets Senate Republicans show blatant disdain for impeachment proceedings

Posted on by Joan McCarter

Senate Republicans are united again in saying they've heard absolutely nothing new in the House impeachment managers presentation against Donald Trump. That's after they voted en masse, as a unified bloc, against 10 amendments from Democrats to provide more information at the outset of the trial. They don't want to hear anything new, which is glaringly apparent in their disdain for the rules and blatant flouting of them.

They're acting like a bunch of middle school kids bored in their civics class. "Gum-chewing, snacking, yawning and alleged napping could be seen throughout the cramped chamber," AP's Laurie Kellman reports. "Some openly snickered when lead prosecutor Adam Schiff said he’d only speak for 10 minutes. And when one of the freshman House prosecutors stood to speak, many of the senator-jurors bolted for the cloak rooms, where their phones are stored." Which is the least of it. Numerous Republican senators have been reported to have just left for long stretches at a time. Rand Paul brought in a crossword to play with. At one point more 1/5 of the Senate—21 members—were out of the chamber. Which leads to one major question: what in the hell is Chief Justice John Roberts doing in the meantime, since he's refusing to enforce the rules?

He is presiding over this trial, which is supposed to mean enforcing the rules, not acting like a potted plant and doing whatever it is he's been doing—catching up on reading? Crossword puzzles? We don't know that either, because Mitch McConnell didn't let any cameras in besides the ones controlled by him. We get one camera view, the person who is speaking, so all the senators who are supposed to be remaining in their seats, paying attention, not talking can do whatever the hell they want, it seems.

Republicans clearly don't give a damn about anything, Trump could steal the entire treasury and if they got a kickback, they'd be fine with it. But they're being just a little too obvious in that, underestimating the extent to which the voters are turning against them, both in hearing new witnesses and documents, and in convicting and removing Trump from office.

They're playing with fire, increasing the likelihood that they'll be severely burned in November.

Rand Paul Invites Trump as Guest to Attend Impeachment Trial

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Senator Rand Paul has extended an invitation to President Trump to attend the impeachment trial in the Senate, allowing him an in-person look at the “partisan charade.”

The Kentucky lawmaker tweeted a picture of a ticket admitting the “bearer to the Senate gallery.”

Paul added, “I heard [President Trump] would like to attend the impeachment trial. Mr. President, would love to have you as my guest during this partisan charade.”

The President shared Paul’s tweet but made no indication that he would accept the invitation, which would perhaps rank as the greatest and most entertaining +1 in political history.

RELATED: Rand Paul Obliterates Reporter Who Claims It’s Illegal To Out Whistleblower

Partisan Charade

President Trump also shared a post by Rand Paul in which the Senator explained that Impeachment Manager Adam Schiff’s buffoonery is uniting the Republican party.

“The more we hear from Adam Schiff, the more the GOP is getting unified against this partisan charade!” Paul tweeted.

Trump shared the message adding the simple caption: “True!”

Meanwhile, Schiff is doing everything in his power to prove them right, suggesting during the impeachment trial that Democrats are driven by an effort to stop President Trump from winning re-election.

RELATED: Schiff: Calling Hunter Biden to Testify an ‘Abuse’ of Impeachment Process

Claims Election Will Be Rigged

Schiff’s presentation to the Senate that the President should be removed from office included a suggestion that the 2020 election would be rigged otherwise.

Trump, you see, must be impeached as the only means to ensure “the [2020] vote will be fairly won.”

I’m old enough to remember when Democrats thought claims of a rigged election were a ‘direct threat to democracy.’

In fact, it was Schiff himself who tweeted in October of 2016, when smug Democrats all thought Hillary Clinton was going to cruise to victory, that Trump was “unfit for any office” if he could not accept the results of an election.

By Schiff’s own standards it is he – not President Trump – who should be removed from office.

The President thus far has not answered Paul’s invite, but it’d be a hell of a show if he were able to look Schiff in the eye while the Democrat continues to lie to the American people.

Get your popcorn ready!

The post Rand Paul Invites Trump as Guest to Attend Impeachment Trial appeared first on The Political Insider.