Trump defenders’ misleading claims about the House impeachment inquiry

“As you know, you have designed and implemented your [impeachment] inquiry in a manner that violates fundamental fairness and constitutionally mandated due process. For example, you have denied the President the right to cross-examine witnesses, to call witnesses, to receive transcripts of testimony, to have access to evidence, to have counsel present, and many other basic rights guaranteed to all Americans.”

— White House counsel Pat Cipollone, in a letter to House Democratic leaders, Oct. 8, 2019

“Even Salem witch trials didn’t use anonymous testimony. The accused had to be confronted by a witness willing to put their name and reputation behind the charges and then had to be available for cross examination. Ah, the Soviet Union had trials with anonymous, unnamed witnesses. Welcome to McCarthy II.”

— Rudolph W. Giuliani, personal attorney to President Trump, in a pair of tweets, Oct. 8, 2019

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is “not carrying it out in a fair process. … Think about if you went before a trial, but you couldn’t call any witnesses. This is exactly what she’s working through.”

— House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), in an interview on Fox News, Oct. 3, 2019

President Trump’s lawyers and allies say House Democrats are running roughshod over his right to defend himself from impeachment.

As talking points go, this one is constitutionally illiterate.

Defendants in court have the right to legal counsel and to call witnesses. They have the right to examine the evidence against them and confront their accusers.

View the complete October 10 article by Salvador Rizzo on The Washington Post website here.