During the first day of starting arguments of the Senate Trump impeachment trial, Supreme Court Chief Justice admonished both the House impeachment managers and the defense team — probably the only time Chief Justice directly addressed the teams with some judicial direction.
“I think it is appropriate at this point for me to admonish both the House managers and president’s counsel in equal terms to remember that they are addressing the world’s greatest deliberative body,” Roberts said. “Those addressing the Senate should remember where they are.”
Let’s do as what Chief Justice Roberts asked and remember where we are at this presidential impeachment. There has been nearly zero cross party deliberation during this trial. The Senate sits quiet while lawyers launch didactic diatribes to one another. During breaks, Senators retreat to their party bunkers, eating separately, or occasionally breaking away in partisan groups to speak their own diatribes to the press. No witnesses are heard or cross examined during this “trial.”
The definition of deliberation is “long and careful consideration and discussion.” Juries deliberate. There has been none here.
It’s clear that Chief Justice Roberts admonished them in an effort to set the tone, but also to stifle, setting the stage for a truly kangaroo court – one with no deliberation. With enduring pain, true fear and loathing, I hope I’m wrong about Justice Roberts, but doubt I am. If he doesn’t require legitimacy to this trial, he will go down as a willing facilitator in neuteuring the Senate for generations to come (along with Mitch McConnel). Democratic government stands in front of a noose today and dictatorship is holding the switch.
In the history of the Republic, every Senate impeachment trial has required witnesses and new evidence. Even one for a guy who was on trial for lying about a marital affair.
The Last Democrat 