My doubts about expunging TFG's impeachments

[no_hypocrisy]

Expungement is used in certain criminal arrests and/or convictions.

Expungements are usually found in state and federal criminal codes. You wait a certain amount of time before applying to the Court to erase your record.

Here's the thing: Not ALL crimes are able to be expunged.

I had a client who had quite a record. 20+ convictions in 40 years, no choirboy. He wanted all of them to be expunged so he could qualify for subsidized housing. I got all but 2 expunged. The other two crimes were ineligible because of their severity: illegal drugs and arson. (I believe kidnapping and murder are also ineligible.)

The hands of a judge are tied if the statute won't permit expungement.

Back to The House. While TFG wasn't convicted by the Senate, he was charged/impeached by a prior House.

Even if his charges are "expunged," there's still a record that he was charged. Expungement doesn't mean a granting of "innocence," that it never happened.

While I could easily predict the success of expunging a traffic ticket, I have my doubts about expunging (if it's at all possible) an impeachment. That's not relatively trivial.

To my knowledge, while there isn't language about the possibility of expunging an impeachment, I don't know if it's absolutely forbidden. At best, it seems to be ornamental, not fundamental. IOW, it won't mean anything.

All that an expungement would offer TFG is a talking point at a rally where he could claim a baseless accusation of his actions that never happened.

[kentuck]

1. Trump is directing this show.

If they don't vote to expunge, they will have no choice but to impeach Joe Biden.

That is the game the House is playing.

No matter how criminal the act, he has never done anything wrong. He had an absolute right.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. How do you expunge what everyone knows about? What's the purpose in a 77 year old?

[no_hypocrisy]

4. The underlying purpose of expungement allows an average shmo

to apply for a job truthfully claiming no criminal record, albeit it can't be a serious federal crime. Or to apply for government benefits.

TFG is applying for POTUS and believes both that an expungement would give him a clean record and that he can convince doubtful Republicans and Independents to cast their votes for him.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. Clean record! ROFLMAO /nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Purpose? Grifting. . . . nt

[Hortensis]

14. Symbolic, "righting" a wrong, "owning the libs?" For the most cynical,

simply a spiteful political victory over the libtards. But for others who choose to believe tRump and our nation were wronged by evil Democratic weaponization of the judiciary, an encouraging victory to march on to 2024 with?

I always wonder what the psychological effect is of knowing at some hidden level that crimes tRump committed are theirs also. For sure most won't ever admit that, and "expungement" would reinforce denial. I imagine some of these people will still be hissing "Hillary" when they're drooling in wheelchairs parked in the TV room.

[tanyev]

21. Trump thinks the Men in Black will then come out and wipe everyone's memories.

[Vinca]

3. 2 impeachments will be in every history book until the end of time. There's no "expunging."

That said, if there's a way the slobbering fools under McCarthy can do it, they probably will. And it amounts to nothing.

[Walleye]

5. It doesn't matter what they do about expungement.Trump will not stop whining about it, ever

[bullimiami]

6. This was a vote by a previous House. It cant be "expunged" from history.

And a later House cant come along and say your vote didnt happen, didnt count.

Thats stupid. From stupid corrupt fools.

[WiVoter]

9. Wonder If That's Because

they know President Biden will win (again) & he (TFG) won’t get a pardon, or be able to pardon himself.

[gab13by13]

10. Maybe Trump wants to apply for subsidized housing?

Seems to this non-lawyer a poor reason to erase someone's record. Is it really that easy?

[boyedav1969]

11. Impeachment is just formally charging the person

Once it's done, it's done. Whether or not they're found guilty in the senate doesn't change that. As far as I know, there's no provision in the constitution of un-charging someone who's been impeached. As near as I can tell, all the House can do is pass some meaningless resolution. Just pollical showboating to appeal to the cult.

[gab13by13]

13. It's all about the narrative,

the MSM will cover Trump's talking points at rallies that he is being persecuted by Democrats. He will then call his indictments more persecutions by Democrats.

Everything that Trump is doing right now is designed to keep him out of jail. He has taken over a million dollars out of his reelection campaign to pay his lawyers.

[no_hypocrisy]

12. McCarthy supports expunging Trump's impeachments

[Hope22]

24. Is it me or does this guy get paler by the day.

He does not look well.

[Ohioboy]

25. McCarthy is such a little tool- the Durham report wasn't about the impeachments

[Historic NY]

15. Impeachment is a Constitutional process

Expungement of that process isn't in the Constitution

[Duppers]

16. Expungement? It's history.

Trump could still claim anything and his illiterate followers would believe him.

[machoneman]

20. The sky is purple, the oceans yellow, the grass is black, said TFG. 'Nuff said!

[Trueblue Texan]

17. Does it really matter if they expunge it?

TFG's impeachments are now part of recorded history that cannot be expunged. If the dumbass Repukes expunge the impeachments, they are saying a lot more about themselves being complicit in TFG's crimes than clearing the record. The record stands, no matter what they do. They may be too stupid to realize this, but let them do what they will. I doubt it will help them politically.

[dlk]

18. Doesn't having a record expunged require refraining form any future criminal behavior?

Trump’s crimes continued after the impeachments. I don’t think he would be eligible for an expungement, even if there was such a thing in this case.

[Buns_of_Fire]

19. Just playing to the cheap seats. It would change nothing.

Impeachment is a political act, not criminal. All that could have happened on "conviction" is that he would be removed from office and probably barred from holding any elective office from then on. Like being fired and flagged "ineligible for rehire". You don't go to jail just for being fired.

Perhaps the dullard thinks expunging his impeachment would also magically remove any and all criminal indictments landing in his lap.

[machoneman]

22. No, it's all a fund raising scam. I still wonder how many broke-ass MAGATS have already burned...

...thru their 401k, savings and cash under the mattress for this fool? At some time way before the election, millions of his illiterate, buck-toothed and plain dumb followers will be cashed out. This also goes for clothes/shopping monies from those foolish suburban Republican women who raid their pocketbooks for TFG. Maybe they want their p***y grabbed, ya think?

[Hope22]

23. Broke*$$ people don't have 401 K's or savings.

They don’t have savings. This county is full of people with zero safety net! If anything they have a giant credit card bill that reads maga!

[Tommy Carcetti]

26. It's bullshit. Completely meaningless.

There’s no mechanism for it. You can’t just erase the Congressional record of anything, let alone two impeachments.

That said, if we’re going to play pretend, might as well have Democrats move to “expunge” the absurd Clinton impeachment.

[tritsofme]

27. The House can pass any resolution it likes, but it doesn't change history.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

28. TFG wants to rewrite history

That is not going to work

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

29. It won't happen, because the Constitution

Has zero mechanism for reversing an impeachment. If the founders had considered it something that could be reversed, they would have allowed for it. They didn't.

Once it's done, it can't be taken back without an Amendment allowing for it.