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CousinIT

(9,151 posts)
Wed Jan 22, 2020, 04:12 PM Jan 2020

WaPo editorial board: Senate GOP 'laying the groundwork' to sabotage democracy

https://www.alternet.org/2020/01/washington-post-editorial-board-issues-a-startling-warning-senate-gop-laying-the-groundwork-to-sabotage-democracy/

In a piece published in the paper’s Opinion section this Tuesday, the Washington Post’s Editorial Board declared that Senate Republicans are “laying the groundwork for a truncated trial of President Trump that would be a perversion of justice.”

Attempts by Democrats to bring in new evidence were voted down, and all signals point to a Trump acquittal that could come as early as next week with no testimony from witnesses — all details that are “unprecedented compared with previous presidential impeachments,” the Board writes.

“It would gravely damage the only mechanism the Constitution provides for checking a rogue president.”

But it’s not Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s “full collaboration with the White House” that’s the most damaging aspect of the impeachment process, according to the Board; it’s the brazen case being laid out by Trump’s lawyers.

“The defense brief they filed Monday argues that the president ‘did absolutely nothing wrong’ when he pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch investigations of Joe Biden and a Russian-promoted conspiracy theory about the 2016 election,” writes the Board. “It further contends that Mr. Trump was entirely within his rights when he refused all cooperation with the House impeachment inquiry, including rejecting subpoenas for testimony and documents. It says he cannot be impeached because he violated no law.”

Acquitting Trump would send a corrosive message: it would confirm to Trump that he is “free to solicit foreign interference in the 2020 election and to withhold congressionally appropriated aid to induce such interference,” along with giving him a green light to “launch a criminal investigation of any American citizen he designates, even in the absence of a preexisting U.S.?probe, or any evidence.” The examples go on.

Ultimately, according to the Board, Trump’s defense is designed to destroy the “guardrails” of Democracy designed to rein in presidents like Trump.

“If Republican senators go along with it, they will not only be excusing behavior that many of them believe to be improper. They will be enabling further assaults by Mr. Trump on the foundations of American democracy.”
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WaPo editorial board: Senate GOP 'laying the groundwork' to sabotage democracy (Original Post) CousinIT Jan 2020 OP
Welcome to the party, Washington Post gratuitous Jan 2020 #1
They will be traitors to the Constitution... Zoonart Jan 2020 #2
We just cilla4progress Jan 2020 #3
Yes, but who is "we"? FiveGoodMen Jan 2020 #4
No, US! cilla4progress Jan 2020 #5
US, yes, I'm in. saidsimplesimon Jan 2020 #6
to paraphrase a well know talking head NewJeffCT Jan 2020 #7

gratuitous

(82,849 posts)
1. Welcome to the party, Washington Post
Wed Jan 22, 2020, 04:18 PM
Jan 2020

But the groundwork for perverting justice has been laid for many, many years. Some of the fingerprints on that foundation belong to folks who were paid by the Post. If you are at long last interested in the workings of the country and the functioning of the Constitution, great. On your to-do list for restoring the country, please set aside some time and energy for confessing and fixing your part in all this. That little task can wait, but make sure it stays on the list.

Zoonart

(11,748 posts)
2. They will be traitors to the Constitution...
Wed Jan 22, 2020, 04:32 PM
Jan 2020

and be in violation of the oath of office that they all took to protect and defend.
It's going to be up to us, kids.

FiveGoodMen

(20,018 posts)
4. Yes, but who is "we"?
Wed Jan 22, 2020, 04:44 PM
Jan 2020

One party has been cheating, lying, corrupting for decades and the other party wants to wait for karma to even it out.

cilla4progress

(24,587 posts)
5. No, US!
Wed Jan 22, 2020, 05:05 PM
Jan 2020

Us here; those of us who give a shit; those of us with the passion and clarity. Inspired and upheld by Shiff, Jeffries, Pelosi, and on and on.

We have to switch out leaders and those in the pack, on any given day. goddess knows I'm down more than up. But fuck it - I'm going down fighting! I figure I may need to put my aged body on the line at some point, and I accept it. We can do this. WE will do this. Regardless of the outcome. Only thing I know.

Never been angrier or more devastated about our country.

NewJeffCT

(56,827 posts)
7. to paraphrase a well know talking head
Wed Jan 22, 2020, 06:13 PM
Jan 2020

if Republicans have to choose between Trumpism and autocracy and giving up power via democracy, they will choose Trumpism

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