Bill Of Impeachment: Article I, Obstruction Of Justice

Big RR · Post by **Big RR** » Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:51 pm

True, and, as I recall, there were also multiple complaints of other women re his behavior.

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Tue Aug 06, 2019 10:08 pm

From the New Yorker

Franken should have been heard by his peers:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019 ... al-franken

Crackpot · Post by **Crackpot** » Tue Aug 06, 2019 11:15 pm

Franken was a sacrifice to political expediency by those fool enough to think if they gave him up they could get a shot at Trump.

Instead they drove out the only politician they had (unless you count Sanders) that had the ability to communicate policy in layman’s terms successfully.

Big RR · Post by **Big RR** » Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:01 pm

To a point I agree with you, but I also think the dems were were pretty much stuck; they were leading the charge for the me too movement because it affected some of the republican donors and they might have a chance to discredit Trump, and then one of their own was involved in a similar situation (and whatever you think about the photo and subsequent allegations, had these been about a republican, they would have been screaming loudly and calling for his head). They really had no choice but to distance themselves from him.

Crackpot · Post by **Crackpot** » Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:22 pm

Distance? sure. investigate? sure. Set hearings? Yep. But that is not what they did. They let the moment dictate and threw due process under the bus because they thought it would show a willingness to be fair (while showing a complete disregard tor any care about the rights of the accused.)

Big RR · Post by **Big RR** » Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:40 pm

I agree, but then that's the road they took with their accusations against others as well. Investigation and a fair hearing would make sense in most of the cases, but trying people in the press has become the SOP in the political arena.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:03 pm

I think Al Franken was a good Senator and I’m sorry that he’s gone - but he was never going to be a good Senator anymore after the allegations, because the taint would have weakened him irrevocably, regardless of the outcome of any investigation or hearings.

The original accuser was pretty clearly a liar making her accusations with the guidance and support of Hannity and others, and Franken was a target of the wrath of Ailes and his people for a long time. However, it’s much more difficult to discount the accusations that came from constituent supporters and from a Democratic staffer who had zero motivation to falsely accuse or assassinate his character. Franken’s own friends and staff discuss his difficulty being appropriate in the content of holding a senate seat, so clearly he had issues. Perhaps he was just a buffoon and not a predator - but neither is welcome by many (probably most) of the persons subject to the behavior.

Women have been raised for generations to smile nicely in response to a wide range of inappropriate behavior exhibited by members of the opposite sex - enough is enough. Women deserve to be free of that bullshit, which makes life 10x more difficult than it needs to be. One of the few joys of menopause that I have experienced, and which is often discussed in the menopause support group I follow online, is that we become invisible to much of the male gaze and FINALLY get to navigate the public spaces - and private ones - free of eyes ogling our body parts and all the sexual commentary, much of it ‘humorous’ and ‘only meant in fun’ by far too many of the men we encounter in our lives - including family, friends, & coworkers. Maybe you guys just can’t grasp this, no matter how many sisters and wives and daughters you love.

As the TNY piece discusses, whenever the rules change in a society there are persons caught up in the transition who maybe didn’t deserve exactly what they got. Am I crying over Al Franken, the man who owns two homes and has a loving family and the means to continue a very comfortable existence? No; I think I’ll save my tears for the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives were destroyed by marijuana charges in the war on drugs, while the John Boehners of the world are now cashing in on legalized cannabis.

Econoline · Post by **Econoline** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 3:50 am

Bringing this thread back up to the top...for obvious reasons.

Resolved, That Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate:

Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.

ARTICLE I: ABUSE OF POWER

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". 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 ignored and injured the interests of the Nation.

President Trump engaged in this scheme or course of conduct through the following means:
- (1) President Trump—acting both directly and through his agents Within and Outside the United States Government?corruptly solicited the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations into—
  - (A) a political opponent, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden,; and
    
    (B) a discredited theory promoted by Russia alleging that Ukraine—rather than Russia—interfered in the 2016 United States Presidential election.
  (2) With the same corrupt motives, President Trump—acting both directly and through his agents within and outside the United States Government—conditioned two official acts on the public announcements that he had requested—
  - (A) the release of $391 million of United States taxpayer funds that Congress had appropriated on a bipartisan basis for the purpose of providing vital military and security assistance to Ukraine to oppose Russian aggression and which President Trump had ordered suspended; and
    
    (B) a head of state meeting at the White House, which the President of Ukraine sought to demonstrate continued United States support for the Government of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
  (3) Faced with the public revelation of his actions, President Trump ultimately released the military and security assistance to the Government of Ukraine, but has persisted in openly and corruptly urging and soliciting Ukraine to undertake investigations for his personal political benefit.
These actions were consistent with President Trump's previous invitations of foreign interference in United States elections.

In all of this, President Trump abused the powers of the Presidency by ignoring and injuring national security and other vital national interests to obtain an improper personal political benefit. He has also betrayed the Nation by abusing his high office to enlist a foreign power in corrupting democratic elections.

Wherefore President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

ARTICLE II: OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESS

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". 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 directed the unprecedented, categorical, and indiscriminate defiance of subpoenas issued by the House of Representatives pursuant to its "sole Power of Impeachment". President Trump has abused the powers of the Presidency in a manner offensive to, and subversive of, the Constitution, in that:

The House of Representatives has engaged in an impeachment inquiry focused on President Trump's corrupt solicitation of the Government of Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 United States Presidential election. As part of this impeachment inquiry, the Committees undertaking the investigation served subpoenas seeking documents and testimony deemed vital to the inquiry from various Executive Branch agencies and offices, and current and former officials.

In response, without lawful cause or excuse, President Trump directed Executive Branch agencies, offices, and officials not to comply with those subpoenas. President Trump thus interposed the powers of the Presidency against the lawful subpoenas of the House of Representatives, and assumed to himself functions and judgments necessary to the exercise of the "sole Power of Impeachment" vested by the Constitution in the House of Representatives.

President Trump abused the powers of his high office through the following means:
- (1) Directing the White House to defy a lawful subpoena by withholding the production of documents sought therein by the Committees.
  
  (2) Directing other Executive Branch agencies and offices to defy lawful subpoenas and withhold the production of documents and records from the Committees—in response to which the Department of State, Office of Management and Budget, Department of Energy, and Department of Defense refused to produce a single document or record.
  
  (3) Directing current and former Executive Branch officials not to cooperate with the Committees—in response to which nine Administration officials defied subpoenas for testimony, namely John Michael "Mick" Mulvaney, Robert B. Blair, John A. Eisenberg, Michael Ellis, Preston Wells Griffith, Russell T. Vought, Michael Duffey, Brian McCormack, and T. Ulrich Brechbuhl.
These actions were consistent with President Trump's previous efforts to undermine United States Government investigations into foreign interference in United States elections.

Through these actions, President Trump sought to arrogate to himself the right to determine the propriety, scope, and nature of an impeachment inquiry into his own conduct, as well as the unilateral prerogative to deny any and all information to the House of Representatives in the exercise of its "sole Power of Impeachment". In the history of the Republic, no President has ever ordered the complete defiance of an impeachment inquiry or sought to obstruct and impede so comprehensively the ability of the House of Representatives to investigate "high Crimes and Misdemeanors". This abuse of office served to cover up the President's own repeated misconduct and to seize and control the power of impeachment—and thus to nullify a vital constitutional safeguard vested solely in the House of Representatives.

In all of this, President Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.

Wherefore, President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:01 am

Well, it all sounds good on paper.

Regardless, I'm sure Moscow Mitch and his band of merry men have already agreed on a verdict of not guilty.

It would be great if the Senate would vote in secret. It takes just three Republican senators to turn the vote into a secret impeachment ballot but that has a slim to none chance of even being introduced.

Flush Trump!

Lord Jim · Post by **Lord Jim** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:21 am

In all of this, President Trump abused the powers of the Presidency by ignoring and injuring national security and other vital national interests to obtain an improper personal political benefit. He has also betrayed the Nation by abusing his high office to enlist a foreign power in corrupting democratic elections.

Wherefore President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States....

...In all of this, President Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.

Wherefore, President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

wesw · Post by **wesw** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 1:12 pm

can y0u back up the secret v0te asserti0n, ray?

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 1:19 pm

Having problems with basic arithmetic now?

ex-khobar Andy · Post by **ex-khobar Andy** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 1:34 pm

RayThom wrote:
It would be great if the Senate would vote in secret. It takes just three Republican senators to turn the vote into a secret impeachment ballot but that has a slim to none chance of even being introduced.

Flush Trump!

As a practical matter, if it helps with the ultimate objective (flushing the trumpturd 15 times if necessary) I'm all for a secret vote in the Senate. But I have to admit I'm queasy about it and I would much prefer that the votes be public.

Big RR · Post by **Big RR** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 3:27 pm

I agree, force the senators to stand by their votes and justify them to their constituents. I don't expect the vote will result in a removal, but the airing of what went on in the Senate chamber, together with the crap some of the GOP "Loyalists" will try to see that the allegations are not fully aired and/or are minimized, will do much to show people what their choice is next November. Will it make a difference? I hope so, but I not all that optimistic.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 4:00 pm

wesw wrote:can y0u back up the secret v0te asserti0n, ray?

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story ... ice-229911

It’s a theory as to how the rules of the Senate could be made to work in this case - it’s not an established clear cut thing.

I don’t think the spineless pieces of shit in the GOP who care more about their cushy lives holding political office than they do about the Constitution or the future of this country should have the option to vote in secret on this issue. Let them go down in RECORDED history as the scum they are.

Lord Jim · Post by **Lord Jim** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 4:16 pm

I don't expect the vote will result in a removal.

Since the poll numbers supporting removal seem to have stalled at around the 50% mark, rather than moving towards 60%, I must reluctantly agree (barring some damning new outrage revelation, which with Trump is always possible)

It would however be nice, (and I believe it remains a possibility) if at least enough GOP members of the Senate would put their oaths above their fear of Trump to at least provide a simple majority vote in favor of Removal, even if the 2/3rds Constitutional threshold can't be met. It would make Trump squealing about his "exoneration" more problematic.)

I can barely even begin to express how depressed and disappointed I am by the GOP House members...

It appears that not one...

NOT ONE OF THEM...(even among the 20 that are not running for re-election including Will Hurd of Texas, who has been no great supporter of Trump)

Will have the courage and integrity to put the oath they took to protect and defend the Constitution above their craven political fear of Trump and/or his supporters...

As an American I could not be sadder; as a Republican, I could not be more ashamed...

Given the nature of the offenses, and the incontrovertible proof supporting the charges, by refusing to vote in favor of Impeachment these people are essentially validating Trump's "Article 2 means I can do anything I want to" perverse interpretation of the Constitution...

It is beyond disgraceful...Every single one of these feckless bastards deserves to go down in defeat...

Once the vile scourge of Trump and Trumpism is finally gone, the political class of the Republican Party will have to be rebuilt almost entirely with new blood...

wesw · Post by **wesw** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 4:33 pm

thank y0u, BSG

wesw · Post by **wesw** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 4:37 pm

jim, y0u l0st y0ur party.

it is g0ne.

y0u are dead t0 y0ur f0rmer party.

y0u are at m0st 5 per cent 0f the party.

g0 t0 the c0untry club and cry ab0ut it.

the funny thing is that I didn t even want y0ur G0P.

y0u gave it t0 me

Lord Jim · Post by **Lord Jim** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 4:47 pm

y0u are at m0st 5 per cent 0f the party.

10-20 percent actually, depending on the polling of the day...

Of course one of the reasons the percentage is so low is because so many decent people who have been life long Republicans have left the party...(like George F. Will and Joe Scarborough to name a couple of public figures; there are many more rank and file types who have done the same...)

But I'm with former RNC chairman and fellow Never Trump Republican Michael Steele who said, "I'll be damned if I'm going to let these clowns drive me out of my party"...

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:15 pm

wesw wrote:can y0u back up the secret v0te asserti0n, ray?

Look it up -- but it requires some reading in order to understand it.

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