An attempt to obstruct justice is a crime, whether the attempt succeeds or not.
I know that. YOU know that.
There are dozens of us. Dozens!
So, we can assume that everyone knows that the first two charges describe things that are wrong, though they are not crimes, but we can’t assume that every one knows that a third charge — which is a crime — is wrong?
I mean, they could cite the statute in the article of impeachment. It’s pretty clear.
That is the crux of my argument, yes.
Buck now arguing that for the executive to ignore subpoenas from Congress is simply an exercise in checks and balances.
Alstein
4875
I believe the rule is the Supreme Court decides if the subpoenas are legitimate or not.
In 2021, I’d suggest expediting that process so it no longer gets hung for months.
That is not the rule. The Supreme Court will settle a dispute about what rule applies, but the rule is that Congress has the power to subpoena persons and documents from the executive branch, and the executive branch must in most cases comply. Even if the executive wants to claim privilege of some kind, they have to show up to do it, and they must surrender non-privileged documents. A blanket refusal to comply with any subpoena at all is a clear obstruction of Congress.
By way of example, a trial is not a process used to determine whether one may rob a bank or not. It is a way of dealing with the fact that one has done so, against the rules.
It really could not be more clear that Pence was in the loop, could it?
After watching for an hour this morning, I’m sorry to say I think the Republicans are more skilled liars than the Democrats are fact checkers. Nobody on the Democrat side corrected the lie that Biden was trying to get the prosecutor fired to protect his son. Instead of the reality that Biden (along with Europe) was trying to get the guy fired because he wasn’t prosecute companies like Bursma.
Really? That’s low hanging fruit. Even I could have fielded that one.
Oghier
4880
Trying to correct GOP lies is a full time job.
Hell, for Daniel Dale, just trying to correct Trump’s lies is literally a full time job.
Oghier
4882
Yeah… If he didn’t have a drinking problem in 2015, he surely will by 2020.
Nadler slapped down the claim that Republican congressman were sent to Congress to obstruct Congress because Congress is so unpopular,and spends too much money, so it’s good that Trump obstructs Congress, and some other absurdities. But this lie went unchallenged.
I think we need to clone Daniel Dale and assigned him to Republican Congressional watch.
Edit: WaPois fast here is what they said about the exchange.
Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) argued that impeaching Trump for obstruction of Congress doesn’t make sense because Republican lawmakers were “sent here to obstruct this Congress.”
Buck said Republicans were sent “to make sure that this power of the purse is actually exercised around this place.” While praising Trump’s policies, he also chastised the deal Democrats made with the White House to provide all federal employees paid family leave for three months.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) pushed back on Buck, calling it “terrible ignorance” to suggest that obstruction is a good thing.
“Whether you think Congress is behaving well or badly, whether it’s popular or unpopular, if you want a dictator, then you subvert the ability of Congress to hold the executive in check,” Nadler said. “What is central here is do we want a dictator? No matter how popular he may be, no matter how good or bad the results of his policies may be. No president is supposed to be a dictator in the United States.”
“When I hear colleagues of mine arguing that the Congress is unpopular and therefore obstruction of Congress is a good thing, this shows terrible ignorance or lack of care for our institutions, for our democracy, for our form of government, for our liberties,” Nadler added.
Jesus, there’s a difference between obstructing Congress and voting against the House majority.
There is no bottom with these idiots.
Judge Gohmert making a ruling:
It’s true the defendant had possession of the child and demanded a ransom, but when the police arrived he immediately released the child even though no ransom had been paid. How can he be guilty of a crime? What crime?
If you all get a chance to watch Rep. Cedric Richmonds (D)-LA speech, I highly recommended it.
He brought a very good point, if Trump was truly concerned about corruption why did he let the aid go to Ukraine unchallenged in 2017 and 2018, why suddenly was it important in 2019?
rowe33
4887
I think it’s important that we use an analogy that Trump voters can better understand.
Your cousin from out of town has a damn fine AR-15 that you’ve been itchin’ to get your mitts on for months. Now it turns out that his good friend Skeeter is coming to your town next month for the much-antiipcated Trump klan rally next month. So you talk your cousin into letting you borrow it, with his friend letting it ride shotgun in his 1995 F150 with oversized tires Skeeter brings the gun but before he drops if off, he thinks carefully and gives you a call about that hot ten-fingered semi-acned new wife of yours. “Hey Bubba, what say you give me 10 min with your only slightly bow-legged mostly-toothed wife of yours? I’ve got that rifle you’ve been wanting to pop for months. Do me a favor, eh?”
Now, is that gun Skeeter’s to bargain with? Is he right to withhold that sweet sweet child murdering weapon from you unless you accede to his request on use of your property? I think even most Trumpsters would agree that Skeeter would have to offer something of his own for the swap action, like some flavored vape juice or a ride on his 4x4 next time you’re in town.
antlers
4888
Even this argument, true as it is, is unnecessarily playing on the Republicans’ turf. Even if Trump were convinced of the need to protect the nation from Biden’s corruption, in no way was it proper for him to specifically mention Biden in the phone call. Such inquiries regarding potential political opponents must always be conducted by lower-level Justice Department officials, with a firewall between them and the White House.
