"...could mean that the president hasn't actually been impeached." - Bloomberg WH reporter

[Leghorn21]

Scoop: Lawyers close to Trump are exploring whether
Pelosi’s decision to temporarily withhold articles of
impeachment from the Senate could mean that the
president hasn’t actually been impeached.

The case is largely rhetorical, but could provide WH and
Senate Republicans leverage

Link to tweet

yeah okay

[Tiggeroshii]

1. Cool. So if they keep investigating and add new articles, he hasn't been "impeached."

[W_HAMILTON]

2. LOL

[DavidDvorkin]

3. According to the version of the Constitution in their heads.

[eShirl]

4. "lawyers close to Trump"

[jberryhill]

13. "Lawyers close to Trump" don't have a good track record of staying close

[Ms. Toad]

14. Or of having a clue about the law. n/t

[jberryhill]

17. Oh, I dunno

I find that criminals frequently have a pretty good idea what the law is.

I mean I'd hate to engage in what I thought was a corrupt conspiracy and find out it was legal.

[Ms. Toad]

25. That's true.

But, based on public comments made by Giuliani and Barr . . . I'm skeptical that they actually know the law.

[jberryhill]

26. True

Giuliani's defense to "You robbed a bank" does frequently seem to be "Of course, I robbed a bank!"

[2naSalit]

54. I see what you did there.

[SoCalNative]

33. Because they all received their degrees

from Trump University. Lawyerin' division.

[NewJeffCT]

27. David Dennison, John Barron and John Miller all of law degrees

from Trump University

[mahatmakanejeeves]

32. That could be referring to similar diagnoses in the DSM-5. NT

[C_U_L8R]

5. The more Trump fights it, the worse it gets. For him.

But please. Keep digging.

[KentuckyWoman]

11. "Please proceed"

I wish the whole media and Twit world would do the Republicans like we do that 2 yr year old having a slap out fit in the store because Mom refuses to buy Fruit Loops. Completely ignore the fit and go on with life.

[NoMoreRepugs]

6. In other news, trumps legal team is also searching for Atlantis.

[SoCalNative]

34. And Judge Crater

I hear they're close to finding him too!

[Fiendish Thingy]

7. From the same team that said impeachment was unconstitutional nt

[Leith]

8. Yeah, rethugs - you go with that

They'll add your delusions to the history books.

[jayfish]

9. Jesus Christ!

Not only will these people try anything but they come up with methodologies I would never even dream of. Do they have a boiler-room somewhere filled with people who just invent nonsense?

[shanti]

16. Two words:

William Barr

[lastlib]

35. Heck, no! They've got a whole Justice Department full of 'em.

And the schnozzles* get paid wi/ taxpayer $$ to boot!


(*truncated form of "douche-nozzles&quot

[gibraltar72]

10. Uh Huh.

[jberryhill]

12. LOL

That's funny.

Yeah, okay, tell Trump he's not really impeached. That's fine. Let him go around insisting that.

[marble falls]

15. Rubber levers won't work.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

18. "He's not really impeached. As long as we say he's not."

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Or something like that.

[Turbineguy]

19. Getting trump off the hook seems to be

more difficult than getting ordinary criminals off.

[Buns_of_Fire]

58. Ordinary criminals have an advantage: Roody's not their lawyer.

And it's not true that Roody managed to get his last client the death penalty for a parking ticket, so stop saying that.

[beachbumbob]

20. lolo, whatever

[Claritie Pixie]

21. Umm NO. He has been impeached by majority vote in the House.

The Constitution gives the House the sole power to impeach, regardless of if he's convicted in the Senate.

There's nothing to "explore".

They may make stuff up as usual but impeachment has happened and it's permanent.

[lastlib]

36. Nancy SAID: his ass is IMPEACHED!

Her word is final! If you don't accept it, don't blame me if you get **The Look**.........

[Doremus]

22. They are masters at messaging BS that people lap up like pudding. It's crazy. nt

[GoCubsGo]

23. Talk about "desperate."

[klook]

28. However, Bill Clinton is still impeached.

And we’re gonna retroactively impeach Obama, and pre-emptively impeach Biden. And Hillary too, while we’re at it. Lock ‘em up!!1!

All is well in the land of unicorns and rainbow fairy dust!

[lastlib]

38. (the land they inhabit, I don't think they have nice critters like unicorns....)

More like Nasty-wasties like Gorgons and Gryphons and all those Hell-beasts.....

[Totally Tunsie]

29. Well, Chump has referred to his impeachment as

"Impeachment Lite". Just wait 'til he discovers how heavy it really is!

[tirebiter]

30. Dinitely impeached

He hán't been found not guilty

[mahatmakanejeeves]

31. A lawyer said this. Okay, it was Jacob Wohl's father, but still....

The next step in dealing with this OBSTRUCTION and denial of DUE PROCESS is to go to the U.S. Supreme Court and move to have the entire impeachment VACATED.

Link to tweet

[louis-t]

37. ITS NOT FAIR! ITS NOT FAIR! That's what I yelled at the tv

every time Collins or Senseless Brenner or any other repug asshole stepped up to the podium to whine before the vote.

[lastlib]

39. They need a TRUCKload of binkies over there in the GOPherHole!

I never saw "a more wretched hive of scum and villainy" and whiny cry-babies as their caucus!

(Is Mos Eisley home of GOP headquarters?)

[unblock]

52. Wow Lindsey graham demands that Donnie be formally impeached!

[Cha]

40. No. Corrupt Buzzards.

[onenote]

41. Lawyers close to Trump are by definition bad lawyers.

[onenote]

42. What does it meant that a case is "largely rhetorical"?

Or is that just another way of saying that the case is utterly without merit?

[AncientGeezer]

43. What about Noah Feldman that testified 4Dec for us in front of Judicary?

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-12-19/trump-impeachment-delay-could-be-serious-problem-for-democrats

"If the House does not communicate its impeachment to the Senate, it hasn’t actually impeached the president. If the articles are not transmitted, Trump could legitimately say that he wasn’t truly impeached at all."

"That’s because “impeachment” under the Constitution means the House sending its approved articles of to the Senate, with House managers standing up in the Senate and saying the president is impeached."

[onenote]

45. His argument is among the worst I've ever seen

No, impeachment is not a process that doesn't occur until it is completed by the Senate. Bill Clinton was acquitted, but he still was impeached. The Constitution gives the House sole power of "impeachment" not the sole power to recommend or propose that the Senate impeach. Indeed, the Constitution also says that the President "shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”. If the sole power of impeachment belongs to the House, it is plain that impeachment and conviction are separate acts.

Particularly egregious:Feldman's statement that "'impeachment' under the Constitution means the House sending its approved articles of to the Senate, with House managers standing up in the Senate and saying the president is impeached." No such command exists in the Constitution. There is no reference anywhere in the Constitution to "managers" let alone "managers standing up" in the Senate. Yes.that is the way it has been done, but not because the Constitution commands that particular procedure.

The analogy to an indictment is not perfect, but in this instance, it is appropriate. A grand jury indicts someone. It doesn't become an indictment only when the trial starts.

[AncientGeezer]

46. Just saying..we apparently have a bad lawyer that testifed for us...right?

To me that seems to be a judiciary cmt. faux pas.
"There is no reference anywhere in the Constitution to "managers" let alone "managers standing up" in the Senate. "
I know what the Constitution says.....like the Senate will make their rules Should there be a trial

[UniteFightBack]

47. Your 'us' isn't the same as ours. nt

[AncientGeezer]

59. He was an expert witness on 4Dec for the Democratic side of Judiciary.

What does you post mean?
Say it out loud.

[AncientGeezer]

44. Noah Feldman who testified for us 4Dec seems to hold a similar position

He testified to Judiciary.

"If the House does not communicate its impeachment to the Senate, it hasn’t actually impeached the president. If the articles are not transmitted, Trump could legitimately say that he wasn’t truly impeached at all."

"That’s because “impeachment” under the Constitution means the House sending its approved articles of to the Senate, with House managers standing up in the Senate and saying the president is impeached."
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-12-19/trump-impeachment-delay-could-be-serious-problem-for-democrats

[onenote]

49. Where exactly does the Constitution refer to managers. Or the House sending articles?

Feldman must have a different copy of the Constitution than the one I have.

[AncientGeezer]

50. As I said to you above...I know what it says...re: Senate trials.

Point is lawyers of all stripes can hold odd opinions..even the ones we call as expert witnesses.

[Yavin4]

48. I didn't know that Trump U had a law school. n/t

[Hassler]

51. From the fevered melon of Rudolph Jailiani?

[2naSalit]

53. WHAT??!!?

[Mersky]

55. Lol..."The case is largely rhetorical."

Translates to: is entirely bullshit designed for fox news.

[BlueIdaho]

56. History will not be kind to Shitler

Or to his enablers. They are in quicksand so maybe they should stop struggling so hard.

[honest.abe]

57. He's definitely impeached.

The Senate trial, and removal from office if convicted, is separate from the act of impeachment itself.

Therefore a delay in presenting the articles of impeachment to the Senate has no impact on the act of impeachment.