Guilty! You're Free To Go!
Retiring Republican Senator Lamar Alexander released a statement stating the Democrat House Managers proved the Donald Trump froze aid to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens, but he would vote no on hearing from witnesses because Trump's actions were improper and did not merit removal from office. In effect Alexander said to Trump, you're guilty and free to go.
How a President getting caught withholding Congressionally approved defense assistance funds to a foreign ally to strong-arm them into announcing a false investigation into a political rival who was beating him in election polls is not impeachable is beyond me. What would Trump have to do to get impeached and removed from office by a Republican controlled Senate, give Alaska to Russia? The real problem with what Republicans are doing with Trump is that he is getting treatment the average citizen, including rabid Trump supporters, would never get in court, which is no consequence after being deemed guilty. Let that sink in, Trump won't get probation community service or have to pay restitution after being deemed guilty. Tell that to those rotting in prison for minor drug possession and other offenses far less than coercing a foreign power to interfere in United States elections.
The complete statement from Senator Lamar Alexander is below:
Alexander Statement on Impeachment Witness Vote
Posted on January 30, 2020
“I worked with other senators to make sure
that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but
there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already
been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution’s high
bar for an impeachable offense. …The Constitution does not give the
Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from
this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate.
“The question then is not whether the president
did it, but whether the United States Senate or the American people
should decide what to do about what he did. I believe that the
Constitution provides that the people should make that decision in the
presidential election that begins in Iowa on Monday. …Our
founding documents provide for duly elected presidents who serve with
‘the consent of the governed,’ not at the pleasure of the United States
Congress. Let the people decide.” – Senator Lamar Alexander
“I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense.
“There is no need for more evidence to prove that the president asked Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter; he said this on television on October 3, 2019, and during his July 25, 2019, telephone call with the president of Ukraine. There is no need for more evidence to conclude that the president withheld United States aid, at least in part, to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens; the House managers have proved this with what they call a ‘mountain of overwhelming evidence.’ There is no need to consider further the frivolous second article of impeachment that would remove the president for asserting his constitutional prerogative to protect confidential conversations with his close advisers.
“It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation. When elected officials inappropriately interfere with such investigations, it undermines the principle of equal justice under the law. But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate.
“The question then is not whether the president did it, but whether the United States Senate or the American people should decide what to do about what he did. I believe that the Constitution provides that the people should make that decision in the presidential election that begins in Iowa on Monday.
“The Senate has spent nine long days considering this ‘mountain’ of evidence, the arguments of the House managers and the president’s lawyers, their answers to senators’ questions and the House record. Even if the House charges were true, they do not meet the Constitution’s ‘treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors’ standard for an impeachable offense.
“The framers believed that there should never, ever be a partisan impeachment. That is why the Constitution requires a 2/3 vote of the Senate for conviction. Yet not one House Republican voted for these articles. If this shallow, hurried and wholly partisan impeachment were to succeed, it would rip the country apart, pouring gasoline on the fire of cultural divisions that already exist. It would create the weapon of perpetual impeachment to be used against future presidents whenever the House of Representatives is of a different political party.
“Our founding documents provide for duly elected presidents who serve with ‘the consent of the governed,’ not at the pleasure of the United States Congress. Let the people decide.”
We would all hope to be so privileged to have a deciding juror like Senator Lamar Alexander if we are proved guilty but odds are that we will not get Trump justice.
