Impeachment Megathread Part 3

[7,052,770]

No, I am not denying that. It may have indeed happened but I think it isn't impeachable. If we really put the bar that low every future President is going to be impeached. Do you really want that? Do you want Impeachment to be used as a weapon for every future President by either Political Party? I don't. It's too dangerous! You can bet if Biden is President and Republicans managed to win the House let's say in 2022 Joe could very well face Impeachment Charges because Republicans would want to demand payback because of what happened with Trump. That's why it needs to be ended as soon as possible.

If Joe Biden blackmails another country by tying foreign aid to a personal favor to help his election odds (remember, it's the second most impeachable offense in presidential history after the Trail of Tears - worse than Watergate and way way worse than violating the Tenure of Office Act or lying about a blowjob in an unrelated deposition), then yes, I would strongly support his impeachment and removal, and so would the rest of the Democratic Party.

Yes, I want that precedent establish that if you do something THIS bad, you get removed. It is horrifying that Republicans will probably establish the opposite precedent due to their Trump Derangement Syndrome.

[Meclazine for Israel]

No, I am not denying that. It may have indeed happened but I think it isn't impeachable. If we really put the bar that low every future President is going to be impeached. Do you really want that? Do you want Impeachment to be used as a weapon for every future President by either Political Party? I don't. It's too dangerous! You can bet if Biden is President and Republicans managed to win the House let's say in 2022 Joe could very well face Impeachment Charges because Republicans would want to demand payback because of what happened with Trump. That's why it needs to be ended as soon as possible.

If Joe Biden blackmails another country by tying foreign aid to a personal favor to help his election odds ( then yes, I would strongly support his impeachment and removal, and so would the rest of the Democratic Party.

Well you don't have to wait long. If Biden becomes POTUS, and asks Ukraine to give his son's job back, you will have your wish.

Quid Pro Quo Joe has already done it to Ukraine, and gone even further and put pressure on people afterwards to protect his son and the company he was working for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWISyLpF8yg

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

"If his election is in the public interest, then nothing he does in the pursuit of his election is illegal or impeachable."
- Alan Dershowitz, basically

So he could lock up the Democratic candidate, and that would not be illegal? He could rig the election, and that would not be impeachable?

Today, Alan Dershowitz! A man whose moral reasoning would destroy Western civilization.

Lock upp anybody? Rig the election? Rob a bank?


You are attacking a straw man built upon another straw man.


Dershowitz said that non-illegal quid pro quos with "mixed" motives can't be impeachable. Did anyone here actually watch the trial (except wulfric and that Indian girl)?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Sinema had a really good question: Congress has always been notified when aid is to be withheld. Why was Ukraine so different?

What was the answer?

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

"If his election is in the public interest, then nothing he does in the pursuit of his election is illegal or impeachable."
- Alan Dershowitz, basically

So he could lock up the Democratic candidate, and that would not be illegal? He could rig the election, and that would not be impeachable?

Today, Alan Dershowitz! A man whose moral reasoning would destroy Western civilization.

You are attacking a straw man built upon another straw man.


Dershowitz said that non-illegal quid pro quos with "mixed" motives can't be impeachable. Did anyone here actually watch the trial (except wulfric and that Indian girl)?

I was in class for most of yesterday.  And I prefer "that brown girl", thank you!

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

Sinema had a really good question: Congress has always been notified when aid is to be withheld. Why was Ukraine so different?

What was the answer?

Patrick Philbin, deputy counsel to the president, answered that former U.S. special representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker told House members he and others hoped the hold would not become public because they did not want any signal sent to Ukrainian officials or others.

In short: "It was so typical and so standard that we couldn't tell Congress as we always have."

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

"If his election is in the public interest, then nothing he does in the pursuit of his election is illegal or impeachable."
- Alan Dershowitz, basically

So he could lock up the Democratic candidate, and that would not be illegal? He could rig the election, and that would not be impeachable?

Today, Alan Dershowitz! A man whose moral reasoning would destroy Western civilization.

You are attacking a straw man built upon another straw man.


Dershowitz said that non-illegal quid pro quos with "mixed" motives can't be impeachable. Did anyone here actually watch the trial (except wulfric and that Indian girl)?

I was in class for most of yesterday.  And I prefer "that brown girl", thank you!

In bipartisan spirit I'll make a mayor concession and promise from now on to call you Chocolate Girl. Deal?


https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1222655839573565440
GAME CHANGER!

[Hindsight was 2020]

Why are people engaging with Russian Bear and 2016 like they aren’t massive partisan trolls who think Trump should be a dictator but a democrat who sneezes without cover their hand should be hanged?

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

Why are people engaging with Russian Bear and 2016 like they aren’t massive partisan trolls who think Trump should be a dictator but a democrat who sneezes without cover their hand should be hanged?

[DaWN]

Why are people engaging with Russian Bear and 2016 like they aren’t massive partisan trolls who think Trump should be a dictator but a democrat who sneezes without cover their hand should be hanged?

Presumably the same reason people still try and have legitimate conversations with SN2903

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

WaPo>>>

Responding to a question from Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) about Trump’s apparent public solicitation of compromising materials on his campaign rivals from Russia and China, White House Deputy Counsel Patrick Philbin ventured a sweeping defense of the president’s remarks — claiming they did not, in fact, represent a violation of campaign finance laws that make it illegal to accept or solicit a “thing of value” from foreign sources.

“Mere information is not something that would violate the campaign finance laws,” he said. “If there is credible information, credible information of wrongdoing by someone who is running for a public office, it’s not campaign interference for credible information about wrongdoing to be brought to light.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/trump-lawyer-defends-accepting-foreign-information-in-an-election/2020/01/29/ad2c559c-91e5-4c34-a73d-128ee44f012b_video.html
Trump lawyer defends accepting foreign information in an election

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

WaPo>>>

Responding to a question from Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) about Trump’s apparent public solicitation of compromising materials on his campaign rivals from Russia and China, White House Deputy Counsel Patrick Philbin ventured a sweeping defense of the president’s remarks — claiming they did not, in fact, represent a violation of campaign finance laws that make it illegal to accept or solicit a “thing of value” from foreign sources.

“Mere information is not something that would violate the campaign finance laws,” he said. “If there is credible information, credible information of wrongdoing by someone who is running for a public office, it’s not campaign interference for credible information about wrongdoing to be brought to light.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/trump-lawyer-defends-accepting-foreign-information-in-an-election/2020/01/29/ad2c559c-91e5-4c34-a73d-128ee44f012b_video.html
Trump lawyer defends accepting foreign information in an election

That's a very dangerous line of reasoning, though.  Are we trusting all campaigns to be on top of and vet all information as credible?

It only takes one bit of non-credible information presented as fact to muddle an election, especially in the present where info can be disseminated in an instant.  

[Nyvin]

"If his election is in the public interest, then nothing he does in the pursuit of his election is illegal or impeachable."
- Alan Dershowitz, basically

So he could lock up the Democratic candidate, and that would not be illegal? He could rig the election, and that would not be impeachable?

Today, Alan Dershowitz! A man whose moral reasoning would destroy Western civilization.

Lock upp anybody? Rig the election? Rob a bank?


You are attacking a straw man built upon another straw man.


Dershowitz said that non-illegal quid pro quos with "mixed" motives can't be impeachable. Did anyone here actually watch the trial (except wulfric and that Indian girl)?

You clearly didn't listen to it yourself.   He started out saying that legal quid pro quos aren't impeachable...and then moves on to say that as long as the President believes his re-election is in the public interests then any quid pro quo that helps his re-election can't be illegal, thus not impeachable.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

From CNN's live impeachment thread - a little blurb about Lamar Alexander (R-TN):

About Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee: At this point, Alexander is really about it when it comes to Republicans who remain undecided, GOP senators and aides tell me.

Alexander has largely kept to himself and kept his own counsel throughout the trial. He helped Collins and Murkowski with the witness language in the initial organizing resolution, but hasn't committed to voting to move forward on witnesses. Sources familiar with Alexander caution against thinking he's in any great hurry to ride in and be the deciding vote on it, particularly given his concern that much of the process is just an effort for Democrats to create political issues for Senate Republicans up in 2020.

Alexander is also extremely close with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

All of that said, to a person, GOP senators leave Alexander alone on decisions like this. He has immense respect inside the conference and has made clear he'll make his mind up after the senator question and answer period ends.

To me, this just reinforces that we are headed to either a 51-49 vote or maybe a 50-50 vote.  I don't believe that it will be a completely party-line vote. 

[Sir Mohamed]

What happens in a 50-50 vote? Would Pence be called in? Or is the motion outright defeated? Or does Roberts have the final say?

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

What happens in a 50-50 vote? Would Pence be called in? Or is the motion outright defeated? Or does Roberts have the final say?

So that's the thing: no one seems to be one-hundred percent  sure.  

We can say for certain that Pence won't be the tiebreaker.  And there would be reason to object to outright rejecting the motion -- "just as many members voted FOR as AGAINST". So the tiebreaker role may fall on the Chief Justice.  

In all likelihood, if the Chief Justice does vote, he would follow by parliamentary rule where "the tiebreaking officer shall side with the status quo" -- IOW, there must be a clear majority for a motion to pass, similar to how ties are broken by the Speaker in the British House of Commons.  

CNN posits that the consensus around the Capitol is that the vote will outright fail with a deadlock and without the Chief Justice getting involved -- again, I presume the rationale is "there must be a majority for the motion to pass".

But that's even assuming Murkowski (R-AK) votes FOR.  

[emailking]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1222907250383245320

[2016]

Just a Tea Leaf:

Senator Amy Klobuchar has scheduled a Campaign Event at 10am on Saturday Morning in Iowa

https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/1222918589931565056

Some people speculating that this is the clearest Indication that Democrats are almost resigned now that there won't be anymore witnesses.

And Schumer with his Delay-Tactic Sham will try to delay to acquit Trump it seems if the Witness Vote Fails.

Get ready for an all-nighter if this happens:

https://twitter.com/kasie/status/1222919239591313409

[pbrower2a]

"The Hill" is reporting that Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md) plans to force a Vote to require Roberts to weigh in on Witnesses & Executive Privilege

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/480614-dem-senator-to-force-vote-requiring-roberts-to-weigh-in-on-witnesses

Democrats now trying DESPERATION MOVES! Yikes!

What are you so afraid of?

If Trump is innocent, Bolton's testimony wouldn't make a difference or might even help the case for an acquittal.

It's as if facts aren't on your side and you know it.

The Senate should not be paralyzed for weeks if not months because of this Impeachment Trail. The POTUS is going to be acquitted anyways so no need to drag this out.

How many weeks or months do you expect Bolton's testimony to take?

LOL, don't give me that crap that this Witness Vote is just about John Bolton. McConnell is right. If we go down this road of calling witnesses it won't just end with Bolton. Democrats will then demand Mulvaney, Blair, Duffy and maybe Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner.

Slippery slope argument. The Democratic theme in this impeachment trial has been above all else, national security. Democrats almost never have this as a political advantage, but I expect them to exploit this issue every day until the November election. It usually works for conservatives... but the GOP is no longer a conservative Party. It sold its soul to cronyism and demagoguery, neither of which is conservative.

Republicans can arrange things so that the only witness is John Bolton, and if that is what it takes to get him heard, I am willing to let them get away with allowing no further testimony. President Trump has been appeasing Vladimir Putin as no President has appeased Russia or the Soviet Union.

Bolton had good reason to abandon Trump. Those could involve vanity and self-preservation (especially if Trump advocated war crimes or crimes against humanity).

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1222919777972367360
In [Klob's] Gut we trust!

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

I’m sure there’s a few dirty tactics up Schiff’s sleeve but he’s practically out of time.

But it’s basically over. Good. Dems have truly embarrassed themselves, and Biden’s campaign is in the gutter because of all of this. Well done Dems.

[2016]

I’m sure there’s a few dirty tactics up Schiff’s sleeve but he’s practically out of time.

But it’s basically over. Good. Dems have truly embarrassed themselves, and Biden’s campaign is in the gutter because of all of this. Well done Dems.

If anything it's Schumer who has these delay tactics up his sleeve. I hope Republicans retain the Senate in 2020 and then completely waver the filibuster.

[GP270watch]

Trump is such a an f-ing liar. I thought he didn't know Parnas? Now we have audio and video showing not only that he does but apparently he takes advice on hiring and firing US Ambassadors from somebody he doesn't know.

How is this impeachment even debatable? Trump is beneath the office of The Presidency of The United States and needs to be removed.

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

Actually, I expect Roberts at some point to shame the left for calling this illegitimate once again.

Try calling it illegitimate when the Chief Justice of SCOTUS rules over it. What a joke lol

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Can you all chill the f*** out?