Top Conservative Lawyer Says Trump Can Stand Trial

[Jeffrey Brown + 207]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/07/us/politics/charles-cooper-trump-impeachment.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage

Excerpt:

One of Washington’s leading conservative constitutional lawyers publicly broke on Sunday with the main Republican argument against convicting former President Donald J. Trump in his impeachment trial, asserting that an ex-president can indeed be tried for high crimes and misdemeanors.

In an opinion piece posted on The Wall Street Journal’s website, the lawyer, Charles J. Cooper, who is closely allied with top Republicans in Congress, dismissed as illogical the claim that it is unconstitutional to hold an impeachment trial for a former president. The piece came two days before the Senate was set to start the proceeding, in which Mr. Trump is charged with “incitement of insurrection” in connection with the deadly assault on the Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6. . . .

He argued that because the Constitution allows the Senate to bar officials convicted of impeachable offenses from holding public office again in the future, “it defies logic to suggest that the Senate is prohibited from trying and convicting former officeholders.”

Mr. Cooper’s decision to take on the argument was particularly significant because of his standing in conservative legal circles. He was a close confidant and adviser to Senate Republicans, like Ted Cruz of Texas when he ran for president, and represented House Republicans — including the minority leader, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California — in a lawsuit against Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He is also the lawyer for conservative stalwarts like John R. Bolton and Jeff Sessions, and over his career defended California’s same-sex marriage ban and had been a top outside lawyer for the National Rifle Association.

But Mr. Cooper, who is said to be dismayed by the unwillingness of House and Senate Republicans to hold Mr. Trump accountable, took on the main claim made by his own confidants and clients, offering a series of scholarly and technical arguments for why the Constitution allows for a former president to stand trial.

[Jeffrey Brown + 207]

On cusp of impeachment trial, court documents point to how Trump’s rhetoric fueled rioters who attacked Capitol

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-impeachment-incitement-rioters/2021/02/07/7a6f0c64-6701-11eb-8c64-9595888caa15_story.html

Excerpt:

The nine House impeachment managers leading Trump’s prosecution made clear in an 80-page brief filed last week that they will argue that his role in inspiring the crowd to action began long before the 70-minute speech he gave that day.

They assert that the violence was virtually inevitable after Trump spent months falsely claiming that the election had been stolen from him.

“He amplified these lies at every turn, seeking to convince supporters that they were victims of a massive electoral conspiracy that threatened the Nation’s continued existence,” the House impeachment managers wrote.

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

Pay a lawyer enough and he/she will say anything you want. That doesn't make it so. Between this hack and Alan Dershowitz, I know where I'll put my money.

[Symmetry + 109]

2 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

Pay a lawyer enough and he/she will say anything you want. That doesn't make it so. Between this hack and Alan Dershowitz, I know where I'll put my money.

Priceless coming from a guy who constantly claims his opinion as fact.

Lawyers, in many circumstances, actually cannot say whatever they want unless they want to get disbarred like Giuliani and Powell will be.

Doubtful you will put any actual money on this; because you know deep down you would lose it.  Did you even donate to Trump's campaign?  My pillow guys needs more cash too, distributors are dropping him as fast as they can.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Symmetry

[Boat + 1,315]

Looks like we’re up to 237 arrested so far in the capital attack. I hope Ward uses his organizational skills and unbiased enthusiasm following each and every one. Who did what, when, who they were influenced by or inspired by. Ahhhhh the smoking gun tally.
We definitely are interested in the gallow toating participation along with the the chanting kill Mike Pence group. Wards gonna clear all that up for us and send folks to jail. 
He’ll tell us personally if Ward facts hold up to scrutiny or opinions from that vast conspiracy of everybody who watched the videos and heard the chanting are just dumb and just don’t see it right. 

[JoMack + 547]

Chuck Cooper's last big article was about the "Crane Trust".   Working to make crane migration viewing possible.  He raised the concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic will threaten the 2021 crane viewing season.  I'd say, when Mr. Cooper needs to  goes back to his bailiwick which is not anything closely related to the Constitution and impeachment of the private citizen.  Since Ted Cruz graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, and in 1996 was a law clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist of the United States.    Doubt he needs any help from Cooper on advice related to constitutional authority and its role in the Senate.  

 

[Symmetry + 109]

Ward do you know that just because someone has a high IQ that doesn't mean their opinion is any more factual?

Many absolute geniuses of the past were very, very wrong about many things. For example, stuff now taught in high school was unknown to Newton.

So don't use your self-declared massive IQ to be any arbiter of truth. 

 

 

 

[JoMack + 547]

Let's not forget Mr. Utah:  January 6 Capitol riots:  Hey, Hey, BLM all the way - hey, hey, BLM all the way!  YEY!  Here's a perfect witness!!

[Jeffrey Brown + 207]

Representative Adam Kinzinger:  My fellow Republicans, convicting Trump is necessary to save America
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/08/adam-kinzinger-trump-impeachment-senate-republicans/

Excerpt:

Adam Kinzinger, a Republican, represents Illinois’s 16th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives

Winston Churchill famously said, “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” All Americans, but especially my fellow Republicans, should remember this wisdom during the Senate’s trial of former president Donald Trump.

I say this as a lifelong Republican who voted to impeach Trump last month. Virtually all my colleagues on the right side of the aisle took the opposite path. Most felt it was a waste of time — political theater that distracted from bigger issues. The overwhelming majority of Senate Republicans appear to feel the same way about conviction.

But this isn’t a waste of time. It’s a matter of accountability. If the GOP doesn’t take a stand, the chaos of the past few months, and the past four years, could quickly return. The future of our party and our country depends on confronting what happened — so it doesn’t happen again. . . .

I firmly believe the majority of Americans — Republican, Democrat, independent, you name it — reject the madness of the past four years. But we’ll never move forward by ignoring what happened or refusing to hold accountable those responsible. That will embolden the few who led us here and dishearten the many who know America is better than this. It will make it more likely that we see more anger, violence and chaos in the years ahead.

The better path is to learn the lessons of the recent past. Convicting Donald Trump is necessary to save America from going further down a sad, dangerous road.

[Jeffrey Brown + 207]

The 11 most important lines from Liz Cheney's blockbuster Fox News interview

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/08/politics/liz-cheney-fox-news-sunday-donald-trump/index.html

Excerpt:

(CNN) Fresh off a surprisingly strong vote of support within the House Republican conference, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney sat for an interview with "Fox News Sunday" anchor Chris Wallace in which she made clear that she has no plans of backing off her criticism of former President Donald Trump.

It was an utterly remarkable interview, the clearest renunciation of the Trump years (and the legion of supporters he leaves behind) that we've seen come out of the GOP since the 45th president's election loss in November.

I went through the transcript and picked out the lines you need to see. They're below.

1.  ”The oath that I took to the Constitution compelled me to vote for impeachment and it doesn't bend to partisanship, it doesn't bend to political pressure. It's the most important oath that we take.”

2. "I think, you know, that people in the party are mistaken. They believe that BLM and Antifa were behind what happened here at the Capitol. It's just simply not the case, not true and we're going to have a lot of work we have to do.”

3. "The extent to which the president, President Trump, for months leading up to January 6 spread the notion that the election had been stolen or that the election was rigged was a lie and people need to understand that. We need to make sure that we as Republicans are the party of truth that we are being honest about what really did happen in 2020 so we actually have a chance to win in 2022 and win the White House back in 2024.”

4. "I think this vote and conference made very clear, we are the party of Lincoln, we are not the party of QAnon or anti-Semitism or Holocaust deniers, or white supremacy or conspiracy theories. That's not who we are.”

5. "People will want to know exactly what the president was doing. They want to know, for example, whether the tweet he sent out calling Vice President Pence a coward while the attack was underway, whether that tweet, for example, was a premeditated effort to provoke violence. There are a lot of questions that have to be answered and there will be many, many criminal investigations looking at every aspect of this and everyone who was involved, as there should be.”

6. "We have never seen that kind of an assault by a president of the United States on another branch of government and that can never happen again.”

7. "What we already know does constitute the gravest violation of his oath of office by any president in the history of the country, and this is not something that we can simply look past or pretend didn't happen or try to move on. We've got to make sure this never happens again.”

8. "So it should not have gotten to the point that it did. I don't believe the Democrats have any business determining who from the Republicans sit on committees, but we should have dealt with it ourselves.”

9. "Somebody who has provoked an attack on the United States Capitol to prevent the counting of electoral votes, which resulted in five people dying, who refused to stand up immediately when he was asked and stop the violence, that -- that is a person who does not have a role as a leader of our party going forward.”

10. "We have to make sure that we are able to convey to the American voters, we are the party of responsibility, we are the party of truth, that we actually can be trusted to handle the challenges this nation faces like Covid, and that's going to require us to focus on substance and policy and issues going forward but we should not be embracing the former president.”

11. "You know, it's really -- it's heartbreaking in many ways, Chris, because, you know, we watched the inaugural speech where [President Joe Biden] spoke of unity, where he spoke of trying to work together in the immediate actions we've seen with respect to, you know, things like canceling the Keystone pipeline, it's heartless. It really is."

Democrats praising Cheney for her principled stands on Trump would do well to remember that she is no Democrat. She has a lifetime 72% score from the conservative group Heritage Action. She is anti-Trump but not at all pro-Biden.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Jeffrey Brown

[Jeffrey Brown + 207]

Trump’s lawyers say he was immediately ‘horrified’ by the Capitol attack. Here’s what his allies and aides said really happened that day.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-actions-capitol-attacks/2021/02/09/6dada250-6a3b-11eb-9ead-673168d5b874_story.html

Excerpt:

President Donald Trump was “horrified” when violence broke out at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, as a joint session of Congress convened to confirm that he lost the election, according to his defense attorneys.

Trump tweeted calls for peace “upon hearing of the reports of violence” and took “immediate steps” to mobilize resources to counter the rioters storming the building, his lawyers argued in a brief filed Monday in advance of Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate. It is “absolutely not true,” they wrote, that Trump failed to act swiftly to quell the riot.

But that revisionist history conflicts with the timeline of events on the day of the Capitol riot, as well as accounts of multiple people in contact with the president that day, who have said Trump was initially pleased to see a halt in the counting of the electoral college votes. Some former White House officials have acknowledged that he only belatedly and reluctantly issued calls for peace, after first ignoring public and private entreaties to do so. . . . 

“It took him awhile to appreciate the gravity of the situation,” Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), one of Trump’s most loyal supporters, said in an interview with The Washington Post two days after the riot. “The president saw these people as allies in his journey and sympathetic to the idea that the election was stolen.”

That same day, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) told conservative radio broadcaster Hugh Hewitt that it was “not an open question” as to whether Trump had been “derelict in his duty,” saying there had been a delay in the deployment of the National Guard to help the Capitol Police repel rioters.

“As this was unfolding on television, Donald Trump was walking around the White House confused about why other people on his team weren’t as excited as he was as you had rioters pushing against Capitol Police trying to get into the building,” he said, indicating that he had learned of Trump’s reaction from “senior White House officials.”

 . . . . For many White House aides, lawmakers and others who had been ensconced in the Capitol, Trump’s actions after the riots began were particularly offensive — even more objectionable, some said, than what he did to incite the crowd.

“President Trump did not take swift action to stop the violence,” the nine House impeachment managers wrote in their opening brief submitted last week, adding: “This dereliction of President Trump’s responsibility for the events of January 6 is unmistakable.”

[RichieRich216 + 454]

Anything coming out of a lawyer’s mouth it pure bull shit, First day in Law School there taught to keep a straight face when lying to everyone!

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

The UniParty gotta do what the UniParty do. 

Meanwhile only morons and useful idiots equate LARPERS in the Capitol with the BLM riots. More people died in CHAZ and they weren't dying of natural causes. Even the policeman who was used as a prop for this circus was A) a Trump supporter and B) died of a stroke not the MSM lie that he was hit with a fire extinguisher. But since when has Jeffrey Brown cared about facts and truth? Not once that I've seen. 

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

There must be a huge call for useful idiots in banana republics

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

Reality show President gone but the new reality show is funnier than ever

Useful idiots would be feeling really stupid about now, but that would require enough intelligence to know they've been had

[JoMack + 547]

3 minutes ago, RichieRich216 said:

Anything coming out of a lawyer’s mouth it pure bull shit, First day in Law School there taught to keep a straight face when lying to everyone!

Must include Liz Cheney in that group!  What a complete idiot.  After the grandstanding by this dummy during the impeachment in the House I wondered what would happen if the Republicans lost their minds and went along with this travesty and voted in the Senate to impeach.  If they were able to do this to Trump what then? Strip him of his right to run again, or worse?  Would they decide to go after Dick Cheney as they did in 2014 and start making moves to bring him in front of The Hague and tried for war crimes?  You know how the Democrats roll, a turncoat Republican is a treasured target so since Cheney's done in Wyoming, she might be smart to watch her dad's back.   

 Honestly though, I do hope people who are thinking that Trump can be impeached "after" leaving office will actually take a look at the Constitution and get some curiosity about their own rights since the First and Second Amendments especially are on the chopping block. 

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,539]

10 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

There must be a huge call for useful idiots in banana republics

I believe Mr. Trump missed the mark here. A judge has decided the merits of this impeachment. 

That judge would be the sitting Cheif Justice of the US Supreme Court John Roberts. His decision was to Not Preside over this impeachment. Actions speak to the clarity of his views, the US Constitution.

[Symmetry + 109]

10 minutes ago, JoMack said:

Must include Liz Cheney in that group!  What a complete idiot.  After the grandstanding by this dummy during the impeachment in the House I wondered what would happen if the Republicans lost their minds and went along with this travesty and voted in the Senate to impeach.  If they were able to do this to Trump what then? Strip him of his right to run again, or worse?  Would they decide to go after Dick Cheney as they did in 2014 and start making moves to bring him in front of The Hague and tried for war crimes?  You know how the Democrats roll, a turncoat Republican is a treasured target so since Cheney's done in Wyoming, she might be smart to watch her dad's back.   

 Honestly though, I do hope people who are thinking that Trump can be impeached "after" leaving office will actually take a look at the Constitution and get some curiosity about their own rights since the First and Second Amendments especially are on the chopping block. 

Trump was impeached during his term.  Look it up - facts matter.  Plus it's not "can be impeached" he is already impeached.

When it comes to things like statute of limitations all that matters is if the proceedings were started during the allowed time-frame. No getting off on a technicality here.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Symmetry

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

9 minutes ago, JoMack said:

Must include Liz Cheney in that group!  What a complete idiot.  After the grandstanding by this dummy during the impeachment in the House I wondered what would happen if the Republicans lost their minds and went along with this travesty and voted in the Senate to impeach.  If they were able to do this to Trump what then? Strip him of his right to run again, or worse?  Would they decide to go after Dick Cheney as they did in 2014 and start making moves to bring him in front of The Hague and tried for war crimes?  You know how the Democrats roll, a turncoat Republican is a treasured target so since Cheney's done in Wyoming, she might be smart to watch her dad's back.   

 Honestly though, I do hope people who are thinking that Trump can be impeached "after" leaving office will actually take a look at the Constitution and get some curiosity about their own rights since the First and Second Amendments especially are on the chopping block. 

If you're keeping score they haven't quite figured out how to take away the 3rd Amendment… yet. I'm guessing it's going to involve BLM bivouac in "your domicile. Complain and you're racist

[Symmetry + 109]

10 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

If you're keeping score they haven't quite figured out how to take away the 3rd Amendment… yet. I'm guessing it's going to involve BLM bivouac in "your domicile. Complain and you're racist

You know Bush did much of that right? 

Republicans manufactured fear to take away your rights - not the Dems.

Civil asset forfeiture was promoted by Reagan, another Republican.

Trump supported weakening state powers and sent in federal agents.

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Symmetry

[Symmetry + 109]

Are you a 16 year old girl?   Roll your eyes yet again when you are presented with your mistakes.  It's a clear sign you have no valid rebuttal.

 

 

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

14 minutes ago, Symmetry said:

Trump was impeached during his term.  Look it up - facts matter.  Plus it's not "can be impeached" he is already impeached.

When it comes to things like statute of limitations all that matters is if the proceedings were started during the allowed time-frame. No getting off on a technicality here.

Half of the impeachment process occurs in the house. The other half occurs in the Senate. When it is the President being impeached it must be overseen by the Chief Justice, which clearly isn't happening. This whole thing is a farce, right up your alley. 

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,539]

8 minutes ago, Symmetry said:

 

Trump supported weakening state powers and sent in federal agents.

 

Perhaps a example of the egregious act would lend some credibility to your musings. Rather than Cosmic Back Round Noise... Your comment is rather Cosmic.

[Symmetry + 109]

7 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

Half of the impeachment process occurs in the house. The other half occurs in the Senate. When it is the President being impeached it must be overseen by the Chief Justice, which clearly isn't happening. This whole thing is a farce, right up your alley. 

Wrong again.  Impeachment happens in one side, the other can overturn.  Trump has been impeached twice, this is fact.

Farce is your ally remember? Trump won?

Edited February 9, 2021 by Symmetry

[notsonice + 1,069]

4 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

Half of the impeachment process occurs in the house. The other half occurs in the Senate. When it is the President being impeached it must be overseen by the Chief Justice, which clearly isn't happening. This whole thing is a farce, right up your alley. 

Where did you get your law degree? Trump U? Trumps lawyer is babbling and not putting up a fight. Enjoy PS even Trumps lawyer is not fighting with your babble.....it must be overseen by the Chief Justice..... Loser

Edited February 9, 2021 by notsonice