'You can't make this up!': Senate erupts in laughter when Adam Schiff reveals DOJ lawyers

[turbinetree]

just completely contradicted Trump’s impeachment defense

Published 1 min ago on January 30, 2020

By Cody Fenwick, AlterNet- Commentary

To defend against Democratic allegations of an illicit cover-up, President Donald Trump’s lawyers have argued fervently that the second article of impeachment in the Senate trial charging him with obstructing Congress is completely unwarranted. Instead of charging Trump with obstructing Congress, they’ve argued, Democrats should have taken the president to court to enforce subpoenas of his aides and requests for documents.

But on Thursday, a Justice Department attorney — who, ostensibly, works for the president — completely contradicted this argument.

There’s long been a tension in the president’s impeachment defense and his administration’s position in court, as many have pointed out. Trump’s impeachment attorneys have argued that Congress shouldn’t have charged Trump with obstructing their investigation but instead worked out disputes in the judicial branch. But when Congress has taken the administration to court to enforce its subpoenas, Justice Department attorneys have argued that judges can’t resolve the dispute between the legislative branch and the executive.

Basically, combining these two arguments, Trump’s lawyers are saying Congress should go to court to enforce its subpoenas, and then it should lose in court — essentially implying that lawmakers should have no power at all to compel evidence from the executive branch. If this were true, the power of impeachment would essentially be nullified.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/01/you-cant-make-this-up-senate-erupts-in-laughter-when-adam-schiff-reveals-doj-lawyers-just-completely-contradicted-trumps-impeachment-defense/

I would really like to know why a senator has not requested John Bolton to testify and hand that question to John Roberts ..................................
And Adam Schiff should be in the US Supreme Court.............for starters and then the rest of Democratic managers should be on the federal bench........................since they understood what the rules of laws are and the Constitution..............

[Doremus]

1. K&R

Schiff is brilliant.

[pangaia]

20. He is --BUT it doesn;t take any brilliance to say what he said.

Just an honest person who sees what is going on and says so.

[LisaM]

22. No, but he has a way of drilling down to basics

that a lot of people just can't do. I admire him for it. I meander a lot when I talk.

[pangaia]

25. Of course. I dodn't mean to imply he was not stunningly brilliant..

[Timewas]

2. Nullified

Our entire constitution is being nullified

[paleotn]

11. That about sums it up.

According to Dershowtwits, * is more or less a monarch. And not in the British sense of the word. More like an autocratic Russian Czar. Taken his argument to its logical conclusion, * can do anything he wants and no one can do anything about it.

But, since the Constitution is now gutted, does that mean some regions can just go off and do our own thing, allowing red America to become some kind of Jesusland version of Guatemala?

[rwsanders]

14. Has been for a while....

remember "free speech zones" in the Bush era.
Corporations are people, and money is speech.
Surveillance of MLK rather than protection.
We are in a post-constitutional era. What that ultimately means... who knows?

[saidsimplesimon]

29. Putin is the VOA now?

I reject nullification without a vote. If we surrender without a fight......

[DEbluedude]

3. Is the DOJ stating an estoppel to themselves?

[TheRickles]

4. The key question

"I would really like to know why a senator has not requested John Bolton to testify and hand that question to John Roberts." We would finally find out whether Roberts is going to be a man of integrity or a political appointee.

[onethatcares]

8. can a Democratic senator do that?

It would put the question into the record and make the clowns dance.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. So, they're saying that Congress shouldn't be able to settle things in the court

but the Administration refuses to give Congress the information it requests, so..............

[lastlib]

7. A logical false tautology.

Both cannot be true, and, as is the expected norm from the shitgibbon in chief, NEITHER is true.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

10. Of course

[paleotn]

12. Old Russian proverb....Have cake. Eat it too.

[Mopar151]

17. The Stimey!

Somehow, I don't think this is in the Constitution...

[Proud Liberal Dem]

18. Well I didn't think so

I'm just trying to wrap my head around it

[aggiesal]

21. The House issues subpoena's for ...

Last edited Fri Jan 31, 2020, 01:00 AM - Edit history (1)

documents and witnesses.
The WH says, "No, take us to court"
In court, the DOJ says, "The court can't enforce the subpoenas because
this is between Congress and the WH."

Court then asks, "If Congress can't enforce its subpoenas, what remedy is there?"
DOJ responds "Impeachment".

This completes the CIRCLE JERK.

[PandoraAwakened]

28. I think this pretty well sums up what Schiff said, inducing hearty laughter from senators...

...minus the "circle jerk" descriptor, of course, which he definitely implied without having to say it, LOL!

Good summation!

[patphil]

6. So, the House is screwed if they do, and screwed if they don't.

Perfect example of Catch 22.

[maxsolomon]

9. It's a perfect Trump argument.

It's 100% wrong on both sides of the issue, so of course it will prevail.

America = Fucked.

[DeminPennswoods]

13. The laughter was very audible on TV

nt

[Mersky]

15. K&R!

[brettdale]

16. is their a youtube clip up yet?

Of the laughter?

[aggiesal]

24. Not Youtube. Will CNN work? Ask and you shall receive ...

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/01/30/justice-department-subpoenaed-documents-trump-impeachment-adam-schiff-sot-vpx.cnn

[pangaia]

19. I just saw that video LOL!!!

[Hassler]

23. Roberts: a Political Hack in Robes

[raging moderate]

26. Adam Schiff should be the President of the United States.

He is magnificent.

[NoMoreRepugs]

27. The circular logic of most conservative ideas

is laughable - until you consider how it’s destroying our country.