The Likelihood of Impeachment

Prediction:

Trump will try to steal artwork from the White House when he loses the election.

Somebunny explain me this: 

WHY THE FUCK ISN'T THE IMPEACHMENT BEING RE-OPENED?

I had another thought yesterday, one that I dismissed initially but it has continued to twist and roll and eat into my brain.

The ONE THING Trump has not yet fucked up is the Stock Market.  I don't know how much of his wealth, but certainly a lot of his donor base's wealth is tied to the Fortune 500.

Yet it would be one "sacred cow" he could slaughter which would distract a lot of people from his legal problems, it would grab headlines, it would show how powerful he is.

Oops

NoCoPilot wrote:

WHY THE FUCK ISN'T THE IMPEACHMENT BEING RE-OPENED?

Okay, people are FINALLY talking about a second impeachment and/or an impeachment of Barr. Wayyyyy past due IMO. But time is limited.

Trump's lawyer says for his second impeachment trial he'll play video of Maxine Waters not condemning antifa for the riots in Portland and elsewhere.

This is what in baseball we call a whiffle pitch.

Trump's lawyer made a big point that the Capitol rioters have not been charged with conspiring to riot with the president.

So, therefore, they should all be charged with conspiring to riot with the president.

[Heavy sigh.]  It's all so pointless.

The House managers are laying out an ironclad case that Trump disgraced his oath of office.

The president's defense lawyers will present weak and irrelevant arguments.

In the end, the Republicans in the Senate will not vote to convict.  They might as well spare all the histrionics.

Yeah, but if they stopped with the theatrics they'd have to actually lift a finger for the American public. Theatrics won't cost anyone their base.

I think they can stop his benefits without a full conviction. That is worth doing.

The $200,000 pension would mean little to DJT. The Secret Service protection means more, but probably can’t be withdrawn. Listen, DJT is going to face YEARS of legal cases against him, from several state and federal agencies. A conviction in the Senate is largely symbolic; there is no jail time attached. But getting him barred from politics is important, and as I understand it, to do that they have to convict him first.

The House managers laid out a very compelling case, tying the mob to Trump's incitement.  I thought it might be hard for them to blame Trump for the Proud Boys, but they really made it seem inevitable and intentional.

I only wish they'd done one more thing.

I wish they'd called one witness, and asked him one yes-or-no question (under oath):

"Mike Pence, were you afraid for your life?"

NoCoPilot wrote:

The $200,000 pension would mean little to DJT. The Secret Service protection means more, but probably can’t be withdrawn. Listen, DJT is going to face YEARS of legal cases against him, from several state and federal agencies. A conviction in the Senate is largely symbolic; there is no jail time attached. But getting him barred from politics is important, and as I understand it, to do that they have to convict him first.

Hmmm, maybe they can use the 14th Amendment even without a conviction.

If this were a real trial having the jurors meet with the defense team in private would be highly illegal.  You know EXACTLY what Graham said to Schoen and Castor:

"We have 44 or 45 Senators voting to acquit.  Don't make us look stupid by presenting an idiotic defense."

The problem they have is that there isn't a sensible defence.

With the turn in the hearings, a conviction is suddenly conceivable. I wonder, I wonder if we shall see such a thing.

How remarkable.

57 to 43, a majority but not a 2/3rd majority.

The 43 Republicans will face repercussions, and history will judge them harshly.

NoCoPilot wrote:

The $200,000 pension would mean little to DJT. The Secret Service protection means more, but probably can’t be withdrawn.

Andrew Goldman made a point on Rachel's show last night, if Trump was sentenced to jail how would the Secret Service detail still protect him (from other inmates)?  Would they have to occupy adjoining cells?

Even with all his legal troubles, actually jailing an ex-president would prove problematic.

NoCoPilot wrote:

The House managers laid out a very compelling case, tying the mob to Trump's incitement.  I thought it might be hard for them to blame Trump for the Proud Boys, but they really made it seem inevitable and intentional.

I only wish they'd done one more thing.

I wish they'd called one witness, and asked him one yes-or-no question (under oath):

"Mike Pence, were you afraid for your life?"

He'd not have said yes because that would end his political career. Republicans hate a pansy and he'd be seen as one after that, especially in middle America where he probably has hopes of going back and running for something.

Nobody can accuse the House impeachment managers of presenting anything less than a stellar case. They were masterful.

But Geo-Pee-ers were never going to convict, not if it entailed lifting a finger, not if it entailed taking a stand, not if it entailed showing the slimmest shred of courage. Nope, the party is devoid of principle. I hope the next few months are very uncomfortable for them, I hope every single one of the 43 is primaried. I hope the Republican Party can't win dogcatcher for a generation.

Cowardice and corruption, on display.

There may be legal charges filed in this matter afterall.  I hope it isn't allowed to tip down the memoryhole.

Trump

Cruz

Hawley

147 Republican Representatives

Jailtime for everybody.

Wow, that his morning SCOTUS finally ruled on Trump’s taxes, after inexplicably sitting on the “emergency expedite” for three months.

Trump lost.

His personal and business tax records have to be produced to the NYAG. This is huge. This means his legal fate is sealed. And he has no more appeals available to him.

Wowsa.

NoCoPilot wrote:

Even with all his legal troubles, actually jailing an ex-president would prove problematic.

NYT reported yesterday on the "very real possibility" that the ex-President (who still refers to himself as "the 45th President") could face jail time.  Mrs NoCo thinks there's no way Trump will be incarcerated, but Vance's legal team in NY now includes a lawyer famous for putting away organized crime figures on tax charges, so I think there's a real possibility.

And it needs to happen.

Trump has not been shamed, has not been humiliated.  He's still out there saying the election was stolen, his QAnon followers are still pointing to March 4 as his "real" inauguration, Trump is still talking about running in 2024.  We need to shut that shit down.  The country will never heal until the wounds are bound and sealed.