Friday, January 31, 2020

Senate Witness Vote 51-49: 51 GOP Weasels in the U.S. Senate Voted Against Fair Trial

Every Senate Impeachment Trial Had Witnesses
(Even when House had none)

Republican Senate Leader is Now Donald J. Trump
(Con Man Leading Rat Pack)

Basis for this Story and Post (from Politico.com) this should scare and concern every American regardless of party label:

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) said he has “no problem” with a White House lawyer’s argument that American politicians can accept damaging information on their opponents from a foreign country.

White House Deputy Counsel Patrick Philbin told senators:It is a mistake to believe that any information about a political opponent that originates from a foreign country amounts to improper interference in a U.S. election, and as long as the information is credible, it is relevant to American voters. I think that the idea that any information that happens to come from overseas is necessarily campaign interference is a mistake. Information that is credible that potentially shows wrongdoing by someone who happens to be running for office, if it’s credible information, is relevant information for the voters to know about.”

Asked about that, Burr said: I have no problem with what Philbin said.”

Burr’s counterpart on the Intelligence Committee Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), said: My head exploded when I heard the remark, and God help us. I think Philbin’s argument dramatically weaken America’s expectation that we’re going to have a free and fair elections. I think it directly contradicts the work of the intelligence community.”
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STATEMENT FROM FEC CHAIR ELLEN L. WEINTRAUB regarding illegal contributions from Foreign Governments (June 13, 2019) (from FEC.gov site)

Let me make something 100% clear to the American public and anyone running for public office: It is illegal for any person to solicit, accept, or receive anything of value from a foreign national in connection with a U.S. election. This is not a novel concept. Electoral intervention from foreign governments has been considered unacceptable since the beginnings of our nation. Our Founding Fathers sounded the alarm about foreign Interference, Intrigue, and Influence. They knew that when foreign governments seek to influence American politics, it is always to advance their own interests, not America’s. Anyone who solicits or accepts foreign assistance risks being on the wrong end of a federal investigation. Any political campaign that receives an offer of a prohibited donation from a foreign source should report that offer to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
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§30121. Contributions and donations by foreign nationals

(a) Prohibition – it shall be unlawful for -

(1) a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make -

(A) a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State, or local election; or

(B) a contribution or donation to a committee of a political party; or

(C) an expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication (within the meaning of section 30104 (f) (3) of this title); or

(2) a person to solicit, accept, or receive a contribution or donation described in sub-paragraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) from a foreign national.

(b) “Foreign national” defined as used in this section means -

(1) a foreign principal, as such term is defined by section 611(b) of title 22, except that the term “foreign national” shall not include any individual who is a citizen of the United States; or

(2) an individual who is not a citizen of the United States or a national of the United States as defined in section 1101 (a) (22) of title 8 and who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence, as defined by section 1101 (a) (20) of title 8.
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ARTICLE I: ABUSE OF POWER (from NPR):
The Constitution provides that the House of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” and that the President “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors by Senate trial.”

In his conduct of the office of President of the United States — and in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed — Donald J. Trump has abused the powers of the Presidency, in that:

Using the powers of his high office, President Trump solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 United States Presidential election. 

He did so through a scheme or course of conduct that included soliciting the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations that would benefit his reelection, harm the election prospects of a political opponent, and influence the 2020 United States Presidential election to his advantage.

President Trump also sought to pressure the Government of Ukraine to take these steps by conditioning official United States Government acts of significant value to Ukraine on its public announcement of the investigations.

President Trump engaged in this scheme or course of conduct for corrupt purposes in pursuit of personal political benefit. 

In so doing, President Trump used the powers of the Presidency in a manner that compromised the national security of the United States and undermined the integrity of the United States democratic process. 

He thus has ignored and injured the interests of the Nation.

My 2 cents: Republicans who voted against trial witnesses or documents are in a word: Cowards disloyal to the nation and their oath of office. 

Hopefully the voters will act according and will right this horrible, petty, partisan act. 

Thanks for stopping by.

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