Posted on 01/24/2020 12:46:24 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
The lesson of this impeachment so far for President Donald Trump and his successors is that there are major strategic and tactical advantages to simply refusing to send witnesses and documents to Congress.
Not only has the president benefited from blocking the evidence itself, but his defenders have argued - compellingly in the minds of some observers - that the House Democrats' case against him on both articles of impeachment is weaker because they did not wait to see if courts would compel testimony and the production of documents at issue.
But it's not clear that the president, who has said repeatedly that Article II of the Constitution gives him the authority to do "whatever I want," would abide by either a Senate vote to subpoena witnesses (from another Article I branch) or a Supreme Court ruling requiring their participation (from the Article III branch).
The Senate could find out quickly with a vote to compel testimony from a single witness - or the production of a single document - whether Trump is so convinced of the supremacy of his office that he would defy Congress in the midst of a trial over whether his use of power is so abusive that it represents a threat to the checks and balances fundamental to the functioning of the republic.
By any account, Trump has taken an unusually broad view of executive power for a modern president.
He has also shown a willingness to reject the authority granted to Congress when he has not been under threat of impeachment and removal from office, as he did when he chose to shift money appropriated by lawmakers for other purposes to build a border wall - a plan that is still caught up in the federal courts.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
Nothing But Crap.
utter HS
The courts have found Executive Privilege both Constitutional and legit.
Obama was a great one to claim EP anytime he wanted to bury things....
He is merely following in the footsteps of that trailblazer for the broad interpretation of executive power, BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA....mmmmmmm, mmmmmmm, mmmmmmm.
“has said repeatedly that Article II of the Constitution gives him the authority to do “whatever I want,” would abide by either a Senate vote to subpoena witnesses “
Pure lie. He said this once, and it was in regard to his unquestionable legal right to fire Comey or a special counsel anytime he pleased.
Dear Fascist Clowns at NBC
The rule of law is not set aside because you hate a guy for winning an election. There is a clear path for the Democrat Fascist party to contest the Presidents action. It called the US Court system.
Why did you Democrat Fascists refuse to follow Due Process and the Rule of Law if your case was so compelling? Could it be cause you know full well you would be laughed out of court for this utter farce you staged?
Wow dim/commie/msm desperation in full view:-)
You mean like “Stroke of the pen, Law of the land, Kinda cool” as a former resident of the White house said...
These dumb SOBs are so stupid, it’s indescribable.
So, if three or four repubs vote for witnesses, Trump has them by the short hairs...by
1. Not allowing them, whereby they take it up with the SCOTUS, and let them wait for a response, and while they’re waiting then:
2. He’s allowed to call his witnesses, Schiff, Biden, whistle blower, Obama etc.
I listen to the democrats, at any point in these past couple days, and they sound like children...
The way that would work out is that Trump would be denied any witnesses. Lindsey would join Mitt and his crew to shut down any that Trump would want.
...After he had been here about a month, we gave [Jonathan] Allen what we thought would be good news: We wanted him to join us as a regular staff writer, with some extra money to boot. But Allen had other ideas and told us, to our dismay, that he was thinking of leaving journalism. After some more discussion, it became clear he was dreaming not merely of an exit from journalism but of an entrance into a new career as a Capitol Hill [Democrat] political operative...
Lookit this! Jonathan Allen is STILL a Capitol Hill Democrat political operative, 10 years later!
These assholes continue to lie with impunity. BTW, who watches this crap on tv? I only hear about it from FR threads like this one.
By any account, Trump has taken an unusually broad view of executive power for a modern president.
Totally insane. Every POTUS invokes executive privilege. How stupid does Fake News think their readers are?
“It appears ethics is a challenge at NBC. Are you and your kids still snorting coke?”
Now Fake News is crying wolf about a PTOUS invoking executive privilege? Hilarious. And of course Obama went way farther than that sending the CIA to spy on the Senate. Fake News has hit bottom and keeps digging.
Allen is a schmuck. If Fredo had a son......
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.