7 Comments

Sadly for our Country, I think Republicans will be moved solely by their political fortunes as they rest in the hands of the disgraced ex-president. It’s a cult, as seen by the state R’s censuring of Liz Cheney, Cindy McCain and other true conservatives for refusing to bend the knee.

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I think they are more concerned about shrouding their complicity in everything...

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This is a really good recap, Amee. I called my Senators yesterday. Voice mail, of course, but I hope someone's keeping track and reporting the data.

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I am grateful for your reporting on this historic trial. You have proved you are up to the task of covering these horrific events!

It occurred to me while watching the video presented yesterday that members of congress may have PTSD as a result of the events of January 6. Reliving that day may have may have confirmed the long term effects of the Capitol riot. Will that realization move the needle for Senate GOP?

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I think the issue the House Managers have with presenting their case, hinges on the fact that 44 GOP Senators voted that this trial in unconstitutional, because it's happening after Trump is out of office. They are not paying attention to any of the fact, because even though the senate voted and confirmed that it was constitutional (the 44 lost the argument) they will still use that for their excuse to vote no on conviction. How do the House Managers address that, without relitigating what they already argued for that initial vote on the constitutionality?

I really would like to see them lay out -

1. When the House impeached Trump (1/13)

2. He was still in office , when impeached

3. McConnell refused to start the trial before Trump left office

4. CJ Roberts declined to preside over a trial before Trump Left office

5. 44 GOP Senate now use their refusal to act before 1/20 as a loophole for a January exception

If we can get overwhelming public opinion against the reasoning they employ above, then there will be no way to convict Trump, bar him from future office, and strip him of benefits.

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Hi, Courtney-we are past the issue of Constitutionality, as the Senate voted in favor or proceeding on Tuesday -so they have already found that it doesn’t matter that Trump is out of office of that Roberts isn’t presiding in a legal sense. All that matters is the legal question of if Donald Trump incited an insurrection on Jan. 6th, with his words and actions leading up to that day. The Democrats have clearly proved, under the standard that guides impeachment trials, that he has.

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The problem is multiple Senators are explicitly stating that this trial is still a waste of time because they still see it as unconstitutional. They aren't operating under the confines that the body in which they serve voted it was constitutional. They are indicating they are going to vote to acquit on that basis. That's my concern. No matter how good of an argument the House Managers make, and no matter how bad the defense is, they are saying they won't convict, because they are ignoring that the Senate voted it was constitutional. That seems to be a critical problem in getting the 2/3 needed for conviction.

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