We could see the frustration rise from the House managers’ (attorneys”) table like waves shimmering across the highway on a hot day. Donald Trump’s star defense attorney stood up in the well of the Senate and exclaimed that POTUS can do whatever he wants. The Senate took a collective sigh. What will a dangerous, unleashed, vindictive Trump do?
This historical trial will be bad for Republicans now and in the future as the point in time when America moved from a democracy to a dictatorship. House Representative Intelligence Committee and lead on the impeachment hearing Adam Schiff (D-CA) was an island of hope. Even though he was punching through sand, he continually reminded people that the president cannot “do whatever I want:”
‘The pattern of his words and conduct is clear: President Trump thinks he is above the law. He thinks he is the state.
‘Trump said it himself: Under Article II I can do whatever I want.
‘Precisely what our Founders feared. Precisely why they drafted the remedy of impeachment. pic.twitter.com/9rOgTzfpUo
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff)’
The pattern of his words and conduct is clear: President Trump thinks he is above the law. He thinks he is the state.
Trump said it himself: Under Article II I can do whatever I want.
Precisely what our Founders feared. Precisely why they drafted the remedy of impeachment. pic.twitter.com/9rOgTzfpUo
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 29, 2020
Next, Schiff tweeted about his quest to obtain all the material Trump said he had but blocked from the trial. The representative said senators “can demand to see it:”
‘As Trump said, they “have all the material.” And there’s a reason they won’t provide it.
The White House is blocking all witnesses and documents, and Senators can infer why.
But Senators don’t have to infer. They can demand to see it.
And they must. pic.twitter.com/anKQH9CMoR
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff)’
As Trump said, they “have all the material.” And there’s a reason they won’t provide it.
The White House is blocking all witnesses and documents, and Senators can infer why.
But Senators don’t have to infer. They can demand to see it.
And they must. pic.twitter.com/anKQH9CMoR
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 29, 2020
After that, the California representative pointed out “abuse of power isn’t impeachment” would have “terrified our founders,” who had just escaped a monarchy:
‘The idea that abuse of power isn’t impeachable would’ve terrified our Founders.
You can’t write off a consensus of Constitutional scholars by calling them “Never Trumpers,”
Unless we’re prepared to accept that Article II really does allow the President to do whatever he wants. pic.twitter.com/hY5hBv9AJ4
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff)’
The idea that abuse of power isn’t impeachable would’ve terrified our Founders.
You can’t write off a consensus of Constitutional scholars by calling them “Never Trumpers,”
Unless we’re prepared to accept that Article II really does allow the President to do whatever he wants. pic.twitter.com/hY5hBv9AJ4
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 30, 2020
Schiff continued tweeting that a “fair trial” was not “a threat.” It was an “American democracy:”
‘It’s clear what the President’s lawyers are saying:
If you want a fair trial, we’re going to make this endless. We’re going to make this painful.
But a fair trial isn’t a threat. It’s a cornerstone of American democracy.
And you can’t have a fair trial without basic fairness. pic.twitter.com/eK43g4Fggc
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff)’
It’s clear what the President’s lawyers are saying:
If you want a fair trial, we’re going to make this endless. We’re going to make this painful.
But a fair trial isn’t a threat. It’s a cornerstone of American democracy.
And you can’t have a fair trial without basic fairness. pic.twitter.com/eK43g4Fggc
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 30, 2020
Twitter world went nuts. The president’s attorneys’ arguments were crazy. Check out some of our favorite responses below:
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
