https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trumps-senate-impeachment-trial-judge-andrew-napolitanoBy Judge Andrew P. Napolitano
~
The House of Representatives — in proceedings in which the president chose not to participate — impeached Trump for abuse of power and contempt of Congress.
The abuse consists of his efforts to extract a personal political “favor” from the president of Ukraine as a precondition to the delivery of $391 million in military aid.
The favor he wanted was an announcement of a Ukrainian investigation of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden and his son Hunter.
The Government Accountability Office — a nonpartisan entity in the federal government that monitors how the feds spend tax revenue — has concluded that Trump’s request for a favor was a violation of law because only Congress can impose conditions on government expenditures.
So, when the president did that, he usurped Congress’ role and acted unlawfully.
✄
The Constitution prescribes the bases for impeachment as treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
However, this use of the word “crimes” does not refer to violations of federal criminal statutes. It refers to behavior that is so destructive of the constitutional order that it is the moral equivalent of statutory crimes.
For example, as others have suggested, if the president moved to Russia and ran the executive branch from there, or if he announced that Roman Catholics were unfit for office, he would not have committed any crimes.
Yet, surely, these acts would be impeachable because, when done by the president, they are the moral equivalent of crimes and are so far removed from constitutional norms as to be impeachable.
In Trump’s case, though the House chose delicately not to accuse the president of specific crimes, there is enough evidence here to do so.
Federal election laws proscribe as criminal the mere solicitation of help for a political campaign from a foreign national or government.
There is no dispute that Trump did this. In fact, the case for this is stronger now than it was when the House impeached him last year. Since then, more evidence, which Trump tried to suppress, has come to light.
That evidence consists of administration officials’ emails that were obtained by the media pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. Those emails demonstrate conclusively that Trump ordered a halt on the release of the $391 million within minutes of his favor request, and the aid sat undistributed until congressional pressure became too much for Trump to bear.
This implicates two other crimes. One is bribery — the refusal to perform a government obligation until a thing of value is delivered, whether the thing of value — here, the announcement of a Ukrainian investigation of the Bidens — arrives or not. The other is contempt of Congress.
If the request for the announcement of an investigation of the Bidens manifested “nothing wrong” as Trump has claimed, why did he whisper it in secret, rather than order it of the Department of Justice?
This comic is a visualization of what goes on in the minds of Dem/socialist/communist/liberals when they are reminded of the great things for our Country that President Donald J. Trump has accomplished in a mere 3 years, I can’t wait for the next 5
And once again, the first targeted insult drone of the day comes from the right, to be followed shortly by targeted explainers from the same direction on how that’s not reeeeeeally personal or insulting and anyway a Democrat said something worse this one time.
Hey Mr. Stantis, didn’t you just spend a week complaining about all the stress people are riling up? Didn’t you just suggest that we all need to take a chill pill?
Now you put forth hyperbolic fear mongering nonsense that only exists in the minds of those who like to push fear and dread. You are being part of the problem.
Read your strip from last few days. It is time to focus on the positive and stop pushing the false doomsday narratives that is simply cold propaganda by aparachiks!
You should start doing strips that highlight the realities of an America that is dong better economically, less engaged in military conflicts, earning respct on the world stage, solving trade imbalances that have existed for decades, and standing up for life, individual dignity and freedom. Commenting on these truths and ridiculing the nattering nabobs of negativity would serve America in a much better way.
You shouldn’t compare politicians to rats. One is a disgusting creature that’s spreads disease, and steals whatever it can get it’s filthy paws on. The other is a mouse.
Darsan54 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
You’ve moved to Iran.
RobinHood almost 5 years ago
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Billy Joel
Silly Season almost 5 years ago
Hey @45Nasrad!
Here’s another Faux News cite for you!
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trumps-senate-impeachment-trial-judge-andrew-napolitanoBy Judge Andrew P. Napolitano
~
The House of Representatives — in proceedings in which the president chose not to participate — impeached Trump for abuse of power and contempt of Congress.
The abuse consists of his efforts to extract a personal political “favor” from the president of Ukraine as a precondition to the delivery of $391 million in military aid.
The favor he wanted was an announcement of a Ukrainian investigation of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden and his son Hunter.
The Government Accountability Office — a nonpartisan entity in the federal government that monitors how the feds spend tax revenue — has concluded that Trump’s request for a favor was a violation of law because only Congress can impose conditions on government expenditures.
So, when the president did that, he usurped Congress’ role and acted unlawfully.
✄
The Constitution prescribes the bases for impeachment as treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
However, this use of the word “crimes” does not refer to violations of federal criminal statutes. It refers to behavior that is so destructive of the constitutional order that it is the moral equivalent of statutory crimes.
For example, as others have suggested, if the president moved to Russia and ran the executive branch from there, or if he announced that Roman Catholics were unfit for office, he would not have committed any crimes.
Yet, surely, these acts would be impeachable because, when done by the president, they are the moral equivalent of crimes and are so far removed from constitutional norms as to be impeachable.
Silly Season almost 5 years ago
Continued…
In Trump’s case, though the House chose delicately not to accuse the president of specific crimes, there is enough evidence here to do so.
Federal election laws proscribe as criminal the mere solicitation of help for a political campaign from a foreign national or government.
There is no dispute that Trump did this. In fact, the case for this is stronger now than it was when the House impeached him last year. Since then, more evidence, which Trump tried to suppress, has come to light.
That evidence consists of administration officials’ emails that were obtained by the media pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. Those emails demonstrate conclusively that Trump ordered a halt on the release of the $391 million within minutes of his favor request, and the aid sat undistributed until congressional pressure became too much for Trump to bear.
This implicates two other crimes. One is bribery — the refusal to perform a government obligation until a thing of value is delivered, whether the thing of value — here, the announcement of a Ukrainian investigation of the Bidens — arrives or not. The other is contempt of Congress.
If the request for the announcement of an investigation of the Bidens manifested “nothing wrong” as Trump has claimed, why did he whisper it in secret, rather than order it of the Department of Justice?
Kip W almost 5 years ago
45Nasrad about 4 hours ago
This comic is a visualization of what goes on in the minds of Dem/socialist/communist/liberals when they are reminded of the great things for our Country that President Donald J. Trump has accomplished in a mere 3 years, I can’t wait for the next 5
And once again, the first targeted insult drone of the day comes from the right, to be followed shortly by targeted explainers from the same direction on how that’s not reeeeeeally personal or insulting and anyway a Democrat said something worse this one time.
Brain Pudding almost 5 years ago
Hey Mr. Stantis, didn’t you just spend a week complaining about all the stress people are riling up? Didn’t you just suggest that we all need to take a chill pill?
Now you put forth hyperbolic fear mongering nonsense that only exists in the minds of those who like to push fear and dread. You are being part of the problem.
Read your strip from last few days. It is time to focus on the positive and stop pushing the false doomsday narratives that is simply cold propaganda by aparachiks!
You should start doing strips that highlight the realities of an America that is dong better economically, less engaged in military conflicts, earning respct on the world stage, solving trade imbalances that have existed for decades, and standing up for life, individual dignity and freedom. Commenting on these truths and ridiculing the nattering nabobs of negativity would serve America in a much better way.
God bless.
Cheapskate0 almost 5 years ago
Who needs drones when you have global warming!
Phrosty 12Oaks almost 5 years ago
Drones of War? A play on Dogs of War?
RobinHood almost 5 years ago
Get out of California, and stop ordering stuff from Amazon.
Rista almost 5 years ago
Never say it couldn’t get any worse. The universe ALWAYS accepts the challenge.
ZeebaNeighba1985 almost 5 years ago
You shouldn’t compare politicians to rats. One is a disgusting creature that’s spreads disease, and steals whatever it can get it’s filthy paws on. The other is a mouse.