Another star has arisen out of the ashes that Donald Trump has made when he set fire to many American norms, procedures, and even government institutions. No, it is not the president’s impeachment trial attorney, Ken Starr whose light was brightest in the President Bill Clinton impeachment. Rather, it is a powerful protector of our democracy, Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA). This is why.
The House chair of the intelligence committee and lead prosecutor in the Trump trial gave what has been called one of the most important speeches in the country’s history. This was in Schiff’s closing remarks , even as he has received death month after month.
After the commander-in-chief’s state of the Union address, Schiff used his newly-found voice and tweeted about the speech. He urged people to consider the vast canyon between words and actions that exists in this president. Secretary Hillary Clinton had nothing on Schiff when it came to inserting the virtual stiletto into Trump’s back:
‘Trump claims he will protect those with preexisting conditions, while trying to take away their coverage. He says he is taking on the drug companies, but does nothing to lower Rx costs. There is a word for those who say one thing and do another. Today, that word is President.’
NBC News reported on Schiff’s powerful closing argument before the Senate will vote on the president’s guilt Wednesday:
‘Saying Donald Trump has “betrayed our national security” and will do so again, Rep. Adam Schiff used his closing arguments in the president’s impeachment trial on Monday to urge the Senate to take a stand against “a man without character.’
Schiff added “decency matters not at all” to Trump:
‘We must say enough — enough! He has betrayed our national security, and he will do so again,” Schiff, D-Calif., told the Senate. “He has compromised our elections, and he will do so again. You will not change him. You cannot constrain him. He is who he is. Truth matters little to him. What’s right matters even less, and decency matters not at all.
‘You are decent. He is not who you are.’
Then, the California representative said “he will not change and you know it:”
‘Can we be confident that he will not continue to try to cheat in [this] very election? Can we be confident that Americans and not foreign powers will get to decide, and that the president will shun any further foreign interference in our Democratic affairs?” Schiff asked. “The short, plain, sad, incontestable answer is no, you can’t. You can’t trust this president to do the right thing. Not for one minute, not for one election, not for the sake of our country. You just can’t. He will not change and you know it.’
So what happens should the senators leave the president in office? They know:
‘What are the odds if left in office that he will continue trying to cheat? I will tell you: 100 percent. A man without character or ethical compass will never find his way.’
Twitter world went crazy when the master prosecutor tweeted. Take a look at these favorite retorts below. Schiff’s closing remarks are on the NBC News site.
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.
