Read on Twitter
Three thoughts recurred reading this.
1. The theory that ex-presidents can’t be tried by the Senate is fake, conjured in bad faith to give GOP sens cover to acquit without stating the truth: they’re OK with the right using violence to subvert democracy. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/republicans-impeachment-trump-mcconnell-civil-war-insurrection.html
1. The theory that ex-presidents can’t be tried by the Senate is fake, conjured in bad faith to give GOP sens cover to acquit without stating the truth: they’re OK with the right using violence to subvert democracy. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/republicans-impeachment-trump-mcconnell-civil-war-insurrection.html
2. If and when Republicans acquit Trump on false pretext, Democrats must pivot immediately to a measure disqualifying insurrectionists from office under the 14th amendment—they might even warn Republicans that they’ll face this vote before the trial ends. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/opinion/Trump-impeachment-disqualification.html
3. This whole saga is an object lesson in the pitfalls of timidity and foot dragging. The original sin here was recessing the House in the hope of turning the page instead instead of voting on the impeachment within hours of the insurrection.
This was utterly predictable and predicted, beginning on the evening of Jan 6, before Dem leaders agreed to recess Congress. https://twitter.com/byrdinator/status/1354070115109773313
Quibble: it isn’t just a talking point. It’s a knowing lie. None of them believed it until they realized they’d have to vote post-presidency, at which point they (with the help of dishonest legal “scholars”) began pretending it was a long-held principle. https://twitter.com/byrdinator/status/1354071677093752832
Can’t overstate the importance of reporters conveying that this position was fabricated rapidly to give Republican senators dishonest cover to acquit Trump. Clearly evident in the genesis of the talking point. https://twitter.com/seungminkim/status/1354065201637826561
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