By D.L. White
In the senior legislative body of the United States Congress, the Senate, after days of debate, without the benefit of fact or material witnesses and following the lead of Mitch McConnell who stated weeks before the proceedings…..
“Everything I do doing this (Senate Impeachment trial), I am coordinating with the White House counsel,” He boldly announced during a Fox News interview.
McConnell would go on to say, “There is no chance the president is going to be removed from office.” McConnell made that assertion before taking the oath on the Senate floor to “Do Impartial Justice?”
An attempt to remove McConnell as offered in a motion by House Manager Val Demings was voted down by the GOP Majority. McConnell remained and the “fix was on.” Contradicting the oath and using the “dark money” purse string he has accumulated from GOP political action committees and donors (Citizens United and the Koch Brothers) to influence other GOP Senators to stay in the fold and vote for an acquittal, (which in fact is not an acquittal).
“What a different Republican party there is today,” noted a former member of the GOP who asked not to be named, a retired Firefighter from the Midwest, filling up his gas tank before driving to the west coast for the weekend.
Many would agree, there are no John McCain’s, and no apparent former Senators’ Barry M. Goldwater (AZ), Hugh Scott (PA) or Representative John Rhodes (AZ), known as the Capitol Hill Three that approached then President Richard Nixon (in 1974) and informed Nixon “that the evidence was growing and he was losing support in Congress.”The following evening after a year of fighting the growing amount of evidence (and hearing tapes – admitted evidence), the time for Nixon to leave had come. Nixon acting in the best interest of the country left office.
Those were all statesmen, all patriots, who were strongly conservative, but more importantly American’s who placed country and duty before party and one person. Very absent attributes today.The Republican Senate by denying any witnesses has clearly stated to the American public, they have placed Donald J. Trump above the law. They have anointed him King.
In a Monarchy, there are no elections; the ruling family is in charge. There are no laws that can punish bad, inappropriate behavior or such callous behavior that warrants some form of consequences.
The Senate has said in part “We don’t want to See, Hear or Speak” any evil of an evil and corrupt person who many realize did in fact commit high crimes and misdemeanors as noted in the Articles of Impeachment presented by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Retiring Senator Lamar Alexander (Tennessee) although voting no on impeachment stated “The House Managers in fact proved their case. However, the actions do not warrant removal from Office in an election year.”
That very shallow explanation is the very reason Trump should be removed from office as the House Manager so eloquently noted, “If not removed the reach of Trumps efforts to win in 2020, will go beyond efforts in 2016”.
Evidence that the Senate has refused to hear include statements by former Ambassador John Bolton who affirmed Trump asked him directly to join with Rudy Giuliani, and others attempting to smear former Vice President Joe Biden.
Bolton referred to the efforts by the President as a “drug deal” and refused to participate.
Former Giuliani confidant Lev Parnas, has affirmed being at a White House dinner when Trump discussed how the Ukraine effort was going and attempted to fire the Ukraine Ambassador at the recommendation of the former New York Mayor because “She would make it difficult to get the dirt they needed on Biden.”
Last but not certainly not least, a member of the President’s defensive counsel Pat Cipollone, was said to be in the room when the “drug deal” was going down, according to Parnas, thus confirm Ambassador Gordon Sondland’s House testimony that everyone was in on the misdeed.
The House Managers have affirmed Trump “abused his power as president” by attempting to “gain an improper and personal favor” from a foreign government as well as “Obstructing Congress” by refusing to allow individuals familiar with his actions to testify during the House trials.
“Impeachment is forever,” noted Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, who has stated, the House will continue to investigate illegal actions on part of this Administration.
As the evidence continue to mount against Trump and his merry men including personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York; Attorney General William Barr; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; and Vice President Mike Pence, the GOP majority Senate lead by Mitch McConnell appear locked in exonerate the president.
Representative Adam Schiff, as the lead House Manager along with Jerry Nadler a Constitution Professor and lawyer, Hakeem Jeffries, a strong litigator from NY; Val Demings the former Chief of Police in Orlando; Sylvia Garcia former Judge, Zoe Lofgren and Jason Crow a former Army Ranger from Colorado, presented a strong and to many an overwhelming case in spite of not having the opportunity to call and cross-examine witnesses.
When founding father and statesman Benjamin Franklin was asked after weeks of meeting to affirm the U.S. Constitution in 1787, “What sort of government the delegates had created? Franklin responded, “A Republic if you (the people) can keep it!”
The current GOP majority Senate has reneged by failing to do their job, they have placed the President above the law (at least this President) Elections can change/repair that! VOTE!