Donald Trump has now admitted :
- Don Jr- his son, Jared Kushner- his son in-law, & Paul Manafort- his campaign chairman met with Russians to conspire to win the presidential election.
- He dictated Don Jr’s original (untrue) statement about the nature of the June 2016 meeting, (adoption).
- He admitted to firing James Comey because he wanted to end the “Trump Russiar thing”.
What is Hope Hicks doing? Is Trump tampering with a federal witness?
Hope Hicks, Trump’s former aid, who resigned the day after she testified for the House Intelligence Committee, after admitting to “white lies” being part of her job. She also dictated Trump’s adoption story about the Don Jr meeting with Russians in June of 2016.
Hicks is a witness in Mueller’s federal investigation. Over the weekend she was seen boarding Air force one. Why would Hicks meet with Trump? Did her attorney think it would be in her best interest?
It would be if she flipped and was wearing a mic. (I can’t wait for the movie.)
“The House of Representatives… shall have the sole Power of Impeachment,” (Article I, section 2) ~U.S. Constitution
So, what’s it going to take, House? Does Trump have to shoot someone on 5th Avenue? Why is he still in office?
Charges or articles of impeachment must be brought in the House and pass with a simple majority, 1 more than half.
Congress is unwilling to vote against party lines. The current count in the House is Republicans 236 Democrats 193, and there are 6 vacancies.
This could change come November.
Impeachment does not guarantee removal from office. If a simple majority in the House does vote to impeach Trump, which they have not, he must still be convicted by a super majority in the Senate for it to mean removal from office. Bill Clinton was impeached in the House of Representatives, then went to trial in the Senate.
Once impeachment proceedings go to trial in the Senate…
“When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present” (Article I, section 3). ~U.S. Constitution
A two-thirds majority in the Senate means that 67 out of the 100 senators must vote in favour of conviction. Once this happens, the president may be removed from office.
Republicans currently hold a majority of 51 of the 100 Senate seats. There are 49 Democrats (including 2 independents) November elections could change that.
Bill Clinton was not impeached in the Senate, and remained in office.
On a what grounds can Congress impeach a president?
Art. II Sec. 4, “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”.
High refers to a person in a public official of a high position.
Crimes defined through a legacy of court proceedings and decisions that punished offenses not because they were prohibited by statutes, but because they offended the sense of justice of the people and the court.
By Art. II Sec. 1 Cl. 8, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Impeachable offenses, high crimes include:
- Obstruction of justice,
- Perjury,
- Abuse of authority,
And get this Donald:
You are legally responsible for everything that everyone in the executive branch is doing.
An executive official is ultimately responsible for any failures of his subordinates and for their violations of the oath he and they took, which means violations of the Constitution and the rights of persons. It is not necessary to be able to prove that such failures or violations occurred at his instigation or with his knowledge.
“It is sufficient to show, on the preponderance of evidence, that the president was aware of misconduct on the part of his subordinates, or should have been, and failed to do all he could to remedy the misconduct, including termination and prosecution of the subordinates and compensation for the victims or their heirs.” ~Ken Starr, (who led the 5 year investigation that led to Bill Clinton’s impeachment in the House)
The president’s subordinates include everyone in the executive branch, and their agents and contractors. It is not limited to those over whom he has direct supervision.
He is not protected by “plausible deniability”.
Trump is a stable genius with a lot of smocking guns.
But… in his own defense, he says everything he did was “totally legal”.
- OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE –
Obstruction of justice, 18 U.S.C. § 1503,
“whoever corruptly or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication, influences, obstructs, or impedes, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede, the due administration of justice, shall be (guilty of an offense).” Persons are charged under this statute based on allegations that a defendant intended to intefere with an official proceeding, by doing things such as destroying evidence, or intefering with the duties of jurors or court officers.
- EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE
Using government office for personal monetary gain, receiving gifts from foreign heads of state in exchange for favors.
Also known as the Title of Nobility Clause, Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution prohibits any person holding a government office from accepting any present, emolument, office, or title from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without congressional consent.
This clause is meant to prevent external influence and corruption of American officers by foreign States.
How did we get here?
Vote absentee, vote early, or vote on November 6th. Just vote.
A lot from Lydia 