Super Bowl of Impeachment!

[JackLuis]

On Tuesday we get a prime TV viewing experience!


Nearly 150 constitutional scholars sign letter dismantling Trump's 'First Amendment' impeachment defense

Former President Donald Trump is just days away from his second impeachment trial -- and nearly 150 U.S. Constitutional scholars are already pushing back against his defense.

"[A]sking whether president Trump was engaged in lawful First Amendment activity misses the point entirely," the letter continues. "Regardless of whether president Trump's conduct on and around January 6 was lawful, he may be constitutionally convicted in an impeachment trial if the Senate determines that his behavior was a sufficiently egregious violation of his oath of office to constitute a 'high Crime…or misdemeanor' under the Constitution. If so, he can be convicted and disqualified from future office regardless of whether he would have a First Amendment defense in a subsequent criminal prosecution."

Despite Trump's defense, the letter also argues the difference between freedom of speech under normal instances compared to what they described as a "willful dereliction of duty." The letter noted, "The First Amendment protects the freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition; it does not grant the president the freedom to engage in a willful dereliction of duty."

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

You called it. Bet the farm. Next week Trump is going to be convicted by the Senate and sent to prison.

 

[JackLuis]

Trump's refusal to testify at impeachment trial is a 'win-win' for Democrats: Ex-US Attorney

On MSNBC Saturday, former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance explained that there's a key difference between how an impeachment trial operates than a criminal trial — and that difference means that former President Donald Trump's refusal to testify is a guaranteed "win-win" for Democrats.

"You have heard Donald Trump's lawyers, who told NBC News he's not going to testify at the trial, he's not going to submit a written statement," said anchor Alex Witt. "And that's in response to lead impeachment manager Jamie Raskin's request he indeed testify under oath. Can — should Democrats subpoena him?"

"This is not a criminal case, where the defendant would be able to assert a Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination to avoid testimony," said Vance. "So [Democrats] actually could go ahead and subpoena. It will be interesting to see if they do. This is a 'win-win' for the Democrats. Either the president testifies with all of the problems that we know that would bring, or he doesn't respond to the Democrats' narrative, in which case they can point to that. So they win either way."

 

[JackLuis]

Trump's impeachment trial may be put on pause on Friday: NYT

A fascinating new scheduling development in Donald Trump's second impeachment trial was broken Saturday evening by The New York Times.

"Democrats and Republicans eager to tidily conclude former President Donald J. Trump's impeachment trial within a week may have a fresh obstacle in front of them: the biblical commandment to keep the Jewish Sabbath. One of the lead defense lawyers for Mr. Trump has informed Senate leaders that he is an observant Jew who strictly adheres to the commandment against working on the Sabbath, and thus would be unable to participate in any proceeding that stretched past sundown on Friday or met on Saturday," the newspaper reported.

Schoen wrote a letter to Senate leaders asking for the trial to be suspended at 5:24 p.m. on Friday if it had not yet concluded.

Oh, he doesn't have any other Christian Council? Too fucking bad for you.