Tag: Trump disregard for the U.S. Constitution

GOP rejects effort to compel documents on delayed Ukraine aid

The Hill logoSenate Republicans on Tuesday rejected an opening effort by Democrats to compel the Trump administration to hand over documents related to the delayed Ukraine aid.

Democrats offered four amendments over roughly nine hours to the rules resolution that would have required the administration to turn over documents. All four were tabled, effectively blocking the requests, in 53-47 votes.

The documents, according to Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), would relate to conversations and documents between President Trump, top administration officials and Ukraine on the delayed funding, which was eventually released in September.  Continue reading.

‘That’s not what you said then!’: Alan Dershowitz crashes and burns when confronted with his own words on impeachment

AlterNet logoProminent attorney Alan Dershowitz has thrust himself back into the spotlight for President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial as he plans to present a constitutional argument to the lawmakers urging them to vote for acquittal. The White House doesn’t seem to mind that Dershowitz is tainted by his ties to Jeffrey Epstein; two women who say they were trafficked by Epstein have said they were made to have sex with Dershowitz, which the attorney denies.

And as all this hangs over his head, Dershowitz is making increasingly strained defenses of Trump. When Trump was facing accusations based on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report of obstruction of justice, Dershowitz made the argument that a president simply cannot obstruct justice. Now that Trump has been impeached on charges of obstructing Congress and abuse of power, Dershowitz says that these charges, too, are not sufficient for impeachment.

While he’s previously defended Trump by suggesting the president can only be impeached for actual crimes, he now seems to be reverting to the bizarre and unexplained position that the charges have to be “crime-like.” Continue reading.

Senate rejects Democratic effort to subpoena acting White House chief of staff Mulvaney for testimony in Trump’s impeachment trial

Washington Post logoSenators began debate Tuesday afternoon over the rules that will guide the impeachment trial of President Trump — just the third in history of a U.S. president — focused on his conduct toward Ukraine.

The Senate rejected Democratic amendments to subpoena records from the White House, State Department, Defense Department and Office of Management and Budget related to the Ukraine probe. The White House stonewalled requests for those records by House investigators during their inquiry.

The Senate also rejected amendments to subpoena Trump administration officials, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney; his senior adviser, Robert Blair; and top Office of Management and Budget official Michael Duffey. Each amendment was tabled on a 53-to-47 party-line vote. Continue reading.

McConnell drops two-day limit on opening arguments

The Hill logoSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), in the face of strong criticism from Democrats, is backing off his proposed requirement that House impeachment managers and President Trump’s lawyers each fit their opening arguments into two-day windows.

McConnell amended his organizing resolution for Trump’s impeachment trial at the last minute to give each side three days to make their opening arguments, which can last for up to 24 hours, the same amount of time given to the prosecution and defense during the 1999 impeachment trial of President Clinton.

The GOP leader made another significant amendment to his resolution by allowing the House impeachment inquiry to be entered into the Senate’s official trial record — subject to hearsay objections — something McConnell declined to greenlight in his initial proposal. Continue reading.

Schiff says McConnell setting stage for ‘rigged trial’

The Hill logoHouse Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday over setting the stage for a “rigged” impeachment trial for President Trump.

Schiff, the lead impeachment manager on the House team, zeroed in on a provision in the rules resolution that could force the impeachment trial to go late into the night.

The provision gives the impeachment managers 24 hours to present their arguments, but over just two legislative days, with arguments beginning Wednesday and Thursday at 1 p.m. Continue reading.

Trump to Female Reporter: ‘Don’t Be a Baby’

Credit: Jonathan Ernst, Reuters

President Trump brushed off questions from a female reporter on Friday by telling her, “Don’t be a baby.” During a round-table discussion on immigration in Arizona, Trump had repeatedly stated that migrants trying to enter the U.S. are “hardened criminals.” “These are some bad people coming through. These aren’t babies, these aren’t little angels coming into our country,” he said. When New York Times reporter Emily Cochrane asked him to clarify what evidence leads him to believe the migrants are “hardened criminals,” Trump said, “Oh, please. Please. Don’t be a baby. Okay?” He went on to urge Cochrane to “just take a look at what’s happened.” “Look at the Mexican soldiers laying on the ground. These are hardened—I didn’t say all of them…These are tough, tough people, and I don’t want them and neither does our country want them,” Trump was quoted as saying. The president was apparently referencing clashes at Mexico’s border with Guatemala that broke out Friday as a migrant caravan from Honduras tried to get through. Several police officers and migrants were reportedly injured as migrants tried to push through the gates.

The following October 20 article was posted on the DailyBeast.com website here.