Donald Trump Impeachment Trial

Will Four Or More Republicans Call For Witnesses In Donald Trump Impeachment Trial?

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With the Donald Trump Impeachment Trial to begin in earnest on Tuesday, January 21, the first full day of the last year of this Presidential term of office, the question arises whether at least four Republican Senators will buck their leader, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and call for witnesses to testify.

John Bolton, former National Security Adviser, is the key witness in mind, although there are others, including Mick Mulvaney (the Acting White House Chief of Staff), Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Vice President Mike Pence, as well as lesser figures.

If even John Bolton gets to testify, it will be a victory for Democrats, but the question is whether there are Republican Senators who want to know the truth, or are just interested in backing the President, no matter what abuses of power he has engaged in.

The best estimate is that we will find the following Senators supporting testimony:

Susan Collins of Maine

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska

Mitt Romney of Utah

Lamar Alexander of Tennessee

Rob Portman of Ohio

Cory Gardner of Colorado

If only three of the above support witnesses, it would be a 50-50 tie, and the belief is that Chief Justice John Roberts could rule in such a tie situation, and would support witnesses.

But this is such an unprecedented situation, so we are guessing at what will be the ultimate decision on this matter.

Trump’s Impeachment Defense Team The Most Obnoxious, Obscene, And Crooked Imaginable!

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Donald Trump is employing Alan Dershowitz, a clearly demented, egotistical, unethical former Harvard Law Professor, who is totally contradicted by most prestigious law professors, including those at Harvard, to present his case in the upcoming impeachment trial.

Dershowitz has represented many of the most despicable criminals imaginable, and while he says he is a “Liberal Democrat”, he clearly has no principles other than his own economic aggrandizement and egotistical glorification. Dershowitz is a criminal lawyer, not a great constitutional lawyer, and he is undermining American democracy with his willingness to defend the abuse of power by Donald Trump.

Trump is also employing Ken Starr, the prosecutor who brought about the ultimate impeachment trial against Bill Clinton, glorying in providing precise sexual details about Clinton’s love life, and then, being President of Baylor University, which had a football player sex scandal which he handled terribly, and resigned in disgrace.

The worst of humanity is what Dershowitz and Starr are, and their ethical violations should lead to their disbarment and disgrace, as they are the most obnoxious, obscene, and crooked defense teams of lawyers ever conceived!

The Donald Trump Impeachment Trial Begins As House Appoints Impeachment Managers, And Hands Over The Two Articles Of Impeachment To The Senate

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Finally, a month after the House of Representatives adopted two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has appointed seven members of the House to be impeachment managers, and has handed over the two articles of impeachment to the Senate.

More evidence against Donald Trump has emerged, and hopefully, the Republicans in the US Senate will realize the need for new evidence to be allowed, and for witnesses to be brought before the Senate, as Chief Justice John Roberts presides, over what is now the third Presidential impeachment trial in American history.

John Roberts joins Salmon P. Chase in 1868 and William Rehnquist in 1999 in the historic stewardship over the impeachment proceedings, with the President on trial, although not in person, and with the House having impeachment managers to argue the case, and the Senate to act as a jury. All branches of the government are present in the Senate chamber as this trial commences, and lasts a few weeks, likely beyond the Iowa Caucuses on February 3 and the New Hampshire Primary on February 11.

The Donald Trump Impeachment Trial Helps Promote Moderates Over Progressives In Democratic Presidential Competition

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Last night’s Iowa Democratic Presidential Debate added “steam” to the belief that moderates are gaining over progressives, based on performance, and also on the reality that the upcoming Donald Trump impeachment trial will “bench” the two leading progressives, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, along with Amy Klobuchar and “forgotten” candidate Michael Bennet, giving the edge to Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg.

For a few weeks, beyond Iowa and probably including New Hampshire, those Senators will be unable to campaign in person, a major disadvantage.

It could be that it will have no effect on Iowa or New Hampshire, but the feeling is growing that it might be that a ticket will emerge of Joe Biden for President, with his experience, knowledge, and likability, running with Mayor Pete for Vice President, from the Midwest heartland, and making a major step forward as an openly gay Vice Presidential nominee .

Experience, youth, and likability, all in one ticket!

At the same time, a ticket of Biden with Amy Klobuchar, or a ticket of Pete for President and Amy for VP or vice versa would be fine, too!

Iowa Presidential Debate Crucial As Caucuses Are Three Weeks From Today

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The Democratic Presidential debate on Tuesday night is crucial as the caucuses near us three weeks from today.

The latest polls indicate close to a four way split, with only five points between first place finisher Bernie Sanders and fourth place finisher Joe Biden.

It is clear anything could happen on February 3, and it could dramatically influence New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada later in February.

We must remember that Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Barack Obama in 2008 went on to the Presidency after winning iowa in those years.

A win in Iowa could lead to victories in New Hampshire and onward, and that, if occurring, could have a dramatic effect on Super Tuesday, when 14 states, including California and Texas, the two largest, vote in primaries and caucuses on March 3.

A failure to end up at least in third place in Iowa would likely be the death knell of a candidacy.

And yet, even Amy Klobuchar, who is not seen seriously right now, but being from neighboring state Minnesota, could surprise us, having visited all 99 counties in Iowa.

So Tuesday’s debate will be a test of how she can perform, along with how Joe Biden will fare, and also whether Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, numbers one and two, treat each other. Additionally, whether Pete Buttigieg, now third in most polls, can compete against his older and more experienced rivals.

How the debate is judged by media will certainly have a dramatic effect on the likely voting lineup on February 3.

But an additional potential influence on what happens in Iowa and New Hampshire is the upcoming Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump, which will force Sanders, Warren and Klobuchar off the campaign trail, possibly giving an edge to Biden and Buttigieg.

Top Trump Aides–Pompeo, Mulvaney, Giuliani, Bolton–Should Be Required To Testify Under Oath In Impeachment Trial, Or Nancy Pelosi Should Hold Articles Of Impeachment Until Supreme Court Rules On Trump Cases By June

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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is, rightfully, withholding the two impeachment articles against Donald Trump, and hopefully, will win the battle with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , requiring that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton, all give testimony under oath in the upcoming Senate trial of impeachment.

if such does not happen, Pelosi should refuse to allow action until and when the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts rules on the various cases against Trump on taxes and other matters, to be settled by decision no later than June, the end of the Supreme Court session.

Maybe withholding action on the impeachment articles will force the Court to move up the cases for final determination sooner.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump will be driven mad by the delay, and it is just desserts since he is such an evil man, who needs to be forced out of office.

If the Supreme Court rules against Trump, as they did in 1974 against Richard Nixon and 1997 against Bill Clinton, it is possible to imagine that Trump would be forced out of office, and probably by resignation.

So Nancy Pelosi holds the cards, and should force the Senate to do what she wants, testimony by key figures in the Ukraine Scandal!

The Moment Of Reckoning For The Reputation Of Chief Justice John Roberts And His Court

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The time has come for the Supreme Court and Chief Justice John Roberts and their reputations.

Will the Court rule that Donald Trump’s tax returns shall be made public, which will indicate the depth of corruption, Russian Collusion, and reality of just how wealthy Trump is? This is a group of cases which might take months to be decided, but will have the potential to repudiate Trump.

Also, Chief Justice Roberts will preside over the Donald Trump impeachment trial, and while not directly involved in the final vote, Roberts will have an impact with his rulings on procedure.

Roberts is the third Chief Justice to preside over a Presidential impeachment trial, after Salmon P. Chase over the Andrew Johnson Trial in 1868, and William Rehnquist over the Bill Clinton trial in 1999.

Roberts’ reputation is at stake in the long run of history, not only for these issues mentioned here, but for the reality that he has become, effectively, the swing vote on many cases, since Justice Anthony Kennedy left the Court 18 months ago.

Donald Trump Impeachment Trial Could Affect Democratic Presidential Contest,With So Many Senators Unable To Campaign During Trial

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The upcoming Donald Trump impeachment trial is likely to have an effect on the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

Since it is likely to be held in January, a month before the Iowa Caucuses, New Hampshire Primary, South Carolina Primary, and Nevada Caucuses, the six Senators (Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Michael Bennet) who are candidates for President will be unable to campaign, on days of the trial.

They are required to sit in their Senate seats and listen to the testimony, without speaking, and cannot choose to do otherwise, as it would be against protocol.

If it stretches through the whole month of February, they will not be able to campaign in the 14 states scheduled to vote on Super Tuesday, including California, Texas, Virginia, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Tennessee, among others.

That should help such candidates as Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Steve Bullock, Tulsi Gabbard, Tom Steyer, Michael Bloomberg, and Deval Patrick.

Whether the impeachment trial will ultimately change the dynamics long term of the race will be interesting to see if it evolves.

Republican Senators Who Do Not Support Lindsey Graham Resolution Condemning House Impeachment Inquiry

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Mitt Romney of Utah

Susan Collins of Maine

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska

Lamar Alexander of Tennessee

Mike Enzi of Wyoming

Cory Gardner of Colorado

Johnny Isakson of Georgia

This means that Lindsey Graham is not able to gain support from the entire Republican Senate caucus, and is a hint of the likelihood that such a resolution to condemn the House of Representatives Impeachment Inquiry will fail to gain a majority of the US Senate.

It could be that a vote for conviction in an impeachment trial might be 54-46, not enough to remove Donald Trump, but a major slap in the face, nevertheless to the 45th President.

And it could be more than seven Republican Senators could end up voting against Trump, although the likelihood of reaching the threshold of 20 Republicans joining with all 47 Democrats to remove Donald Trump is very much a long shot.

The Right Wing Supreme Court Seems Ready To Declare War On Abortion, Gay Rights, Gun Rights, Immigration, Separation Of Church And State, And Presidential Power

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The new session of the Supreme Court has begun, and the full effect of Donald Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh will now, likely, be felt.

While it is true that Gorsuch and Kavanaugh are not “twins”, to expect any major surprises in constitutional law in this 2019-2020 term are highly unlikely, as right wing law looks in the ascendancy.

What the Court decides ends up as the law of the land, and for progressives, it does not bode well on the issues of abortion, gay rights, gun rights, immigration, separation of church and state, and the growth of Presidential power.

The fulcrum of the Court, Anthony Kennedy, is now retired for a year, and the only hope to avoid extreme right wing judgments is if Chief Justice John Roberts, who has been a surprise a few times in his views on the Court in recent years, becomes the new “swing” vote on the Court this term.

Roberts might also preside over an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, who he, clearly, has been critical of in a number of ways, and the Court could limit Trump’s Abuse of Power, beyond Roberts presiding over an impeachment prosecution.

Since Roberts is worried about the image of “his” Court, some surprises may be in the offing, and of course, progressives will be watching the health and stability of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, now 86, having survived a third and fourth cancer, and wondering if she will be able to continue on the Court into the next Presidential term in 2021.