Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumWarren: 'If there's a lawful order for a subpoena, I assume' Biden would comply
FULL story: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/476145-warren-if-theres-a-lawful-order-for-a-subpoena-i-assume-biden-would-comply
BY ZACK BUDRYK - 12/28/19 09:06 PM EST
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Saturday that former Vice President Joe Biden should comply with any lawfully-issued Senate subpoena after Biden suggested he would not comply with one. However, she also said the focus should remain on officials the White House has ordered to defy subpoenas.
On the campaign trail in Iowa, the Massachusetts senator commented on Biden's involvement as a witness in the impending impeachment trial to a gaggle of press. A reporter for CBS, Zak Hudak, shared footage of the lawmaker on Twitter.
Donald Trump is being impeached for abuse of power and thats where our focus should be. Shame on him for trying to switch the focus over to something else, Warren told reporters in Iowa. But Joe Biden has said that he has always abided by every lawful order, and if theres a lawful order for a subpoena, then I assume he would follow it.
Right now, we should be focusing on the subpoenas that have already been issued, for [former White House counsel] Don McGahn and for [acting White House Chief of Staff] Mick Mulvaney, who have first-hand knowledge of what the president did, she added.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Thekaspervote
(32,819 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TomSlick
(11,126 posts)He must decide whether he truly believes in the rule of law. If Democrats abandon the rule of law, the republic is lost.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hav
(5,969 posts)But this is the typical game played out in the media. As far as I can see from the clip, Warren was asked about it and didn't use it as an attack against Biden. The opposite is true actually. But the question was definitely used to create soundbites.
Please guys, don't fall for it. Warren answered it perfectly without using this topic as an opportunity to score points against Biden.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)sham that is a moral travesty. Resist!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
stopdiggin
(11,404 posts)I'm assuming the senate can subpoena whomever they feel like. Correct?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
TomSlick
(11,126 posts)Any party can subpoena a witness. The presiding judge - in the case of an impeachment trial in the Senate, the Chief Justice - rules whether a question asked the witnesses is irrelevant. If a witness claims a privilege, it is possible to file a motion to quash the subpoena. However, VP Biden does not claim a privilege. Rather, he contends (quite reasonably) that he has no relevant evidence but that is not his objection to raise.
If VP Biden is served a subpoena, he must appear. If Trump's lawyers ask an irrelevant question, I would expect the House managers to object. If the question is irrelevant, I would expect the Chief Justice to sustain the objection. I am unsure a majority of the Senate would vote to overrule the Chief Justice. However, if they did, Biden must answer the question. That would appear unjust but the legal process often appears unjust to the litigants.
The rule of law requires that the rules be followed - even if they appear unfair to the litigants.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Thekaspervote
(32,819 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
stopdiggin
(11,404 posts)and appear. -(if in fact there is ever a subpoena)- There's a REASON that this statement got walked back (quickly). It WON'T stand up as rule of law. Biden realizes that.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Lexee
(377 posts)Biden said. Good for Warren being a true supporter of Democrats even while in competition.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Hav
(5,969 posts)and he should have said so in his initial comment. But the fact that we are at a point that Warren has to comment on that kind of nonsense proves his point that it's a distraction with no merit from Trump's crimes that are clear beyond any doubt.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TomSlick
(11,126 posts)He seems to be saying that he will decide whether a subpoena is a lawful order. Either, that or he's threatening a court challenge for any subpoena which would be essentially a stall. It is unclear to me that a court is going to accept jurisdiction regarding a subpoena issued by the Senate in an impeachment trial - in which the Chief Justice is the presiding judge.
You are correct that this is an unnecessary distraction. However, it was a distraction caused by VP Biden's improvident comment. I am looking forward to a more clarifying clarification.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SCVDem
(5,103 posts)Bartyles and James
Keep swinging Liz! I like you less every time you attack!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
blm
(113,131 posts)Last edited Sun Dec 29, 2019, 12:34 AM - Edit history (1)
Warren said she is sure that Biden would comply to a lawful subpoena, only in answer to a question about it.
Where is the attack?
This 4month long piling on Warren for little to no reason has gotten pretty old.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BeyondGeography
(39,393 posts)Or many.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)her campaign negatively. So we march to the GOP's tune...we can't get them to honor subpoenas but we must...I disagree. I expect some are hoping this will hurt Biden but I doubt it will.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BeyondGeography
(39,393 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)is to damage his candidacy and save Trump from a real senate trial by providing a distraction... I would say no Democrat should honor any subpoena until the GOP does... should not allow them to call the tune and obstruct with impunity.I don't think this will hurt Biden but I fear it may help Trump.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Thekaspervote
(32,819 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hav
(5,969 posts)I agree with you, getting Biden into Trump's impeachment is a planned distraction.
But Warren was asked about it and made basically the same point that Biden did: The focus should be on Trump's crimes.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)Has it occurred to any of you all that should they succeed in making Biden a distraction it will cause much trouble in the Senate trial? After the house had the courage to impeach the SOB, we could end with one of our own on trial in the Senate and not Trump...that would be a bad outcome and impact the election no matter who the candidate it....and I must say the idea that other candidates will profit from this is just wrong. It could hurt our chances in 20...and Biden can't speak to the issue of what Trump did so the only reason he would be called is to damage his candidacy and our chances in 20.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hav
(5,969 posts)because I don't know how much was creatively added in that article from The Hill.
If she had said "Biden should testify" in her stump speech or in that interview, I would agree with you.
But my view from the clip and not the article is, she was asked whether Biden should testify which is a stupid bait and she immediately changed it to that the focus should be on Trump. She then referenced Biden saying that he has always abided by a lawful order and that she therefore assumes he would also do so again in this case if it's a lawful order.
In essence, this is a topic where we are all in agreement.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)and he says that too
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)he wouldn't comply with a subpoena, or that he had to "clarify" what he'd meant.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)help her campaign.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)this as an attack.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Green Line
(1,123 posts)Shes my Senator, so Im not surprised. She told the voters of MA that she wouldnt run for President during her Senate race.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BeyondGeography
(39,393 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)Here it is again.
Right now, we should be focusing on the subpoenas that have already been issued, for [former White House counsel] Don McGahn and for [acting White House Chief of Staff] Mick Mulvaney, who have first-hand knowledge of what the president did, she added.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Lexee
(377 posts)attacked.
I agree she not only said nothing wrong, but answered really well, having Biden's back.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Lexee
(377 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Thekaspervote
(32,819 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BlueMTexpat
(15,374 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BlueMTexpat
(15,374 posts)said was an attack shows a predisposed bias against her.
It seems that you have such a bias.
She answered well. And it wasn't an attack. It was what ANY self-respecting lawyer who respects the rule of law would say. As a self-respecting lawyer myself and one who respects the rule of law, I would have answered the same way.
It was the question that was the attack. The media are NOT our friends.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
stopdiggin
(11,404 posts)Substance, context, tone and intent .. by virtually every measure ... This was in NO sense an attack. Please look at the clips again.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Lexee
(377 posts)She was asked a question and there was no jab. Good job Warren.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
stopdiggin
(11,404 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hekate
(90,978 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BlueMTexpat
(15,374 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
David__77
(23,601 posts)I think it would be fine for him not to do so.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,772 posts)it ...so much for not attacking other candidates...I am so not supporting anyone else but Biden except in the general...should he not be the nominee which I don't think will happen.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
LAS14
(13,790 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BeyondGeography
(39,393 posts)Heres the clip; she didnt bring it up, a reporter did and her answer is completely fair and professional:
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)not appear, if he were.
Hed move the needle on trumps removal by making people realize he did nothing wrong, and that trump is a traitor the way he and the trump family have abused and tarnished the office and America.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
wiley
(2,921 posts)And get back to taking selfies or something. Im not ruining my day thinking about her today.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
blm
(113,131 posts)She stayed on the same page as Biden when he said he would comply with a lawful subpoena.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)Right now, we should be focusing on the subpoenas that have already been issued, for [former White House counsel] Don McGahn and for [acting White House Chief of Staff] Mick Mulvaney, who have first-hand knowledge of what the president did, she added.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TwilightZone
(25,512 posts)Telling her to "shut up" in that (or any) context is misguided, at best.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BeyondGeography
(39,393 posts)Care to elaborate?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
wellst0nev0ter
(7,509 posts)Now she can't echo what other candidates say without people like you telling her to "shut up"?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Lexee
(377 posts)Biden was the one that screwed up. Warren if nothing else helped Biden out of the hole he dug.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
caraher
(6,279 posts)Nevertheless, she persisted.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
LovingA2andMI
(7,006 posts)Thank you!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
ms liberty
(8,620 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
LovingA2andMI
(7,006 posts)She answered a question. That is HER JOB as a CANDIDATE.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Seriously?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Lexblues
(180 posts)It would be good politics for her. It would make Biden look like a defendant being on the stand and testifying under oath.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
stopdiggin
(11,404 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
boomer_wv
(673 posts)think that Barack Obama should testify in the trial? He could offer better testimony than Biden because he could testify as having given the order for Biden to predicate aid money of the removal of the corrupt prosecutor. Given that it was the policy of everyone involved to reduce corruption in the prosecutors office, this was a legitimate reason to threaten aid money to achieve. This testimony would prove that Bidens actions were not based on personal gain and would make Trumps arguments invalid. Biden could testify the same thing, but his boss saying he had been ordered to do it would carry more weight.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
comradebillyboy
(10,184 posts)Liz is perfectly correct. He may also avail himself of all legal remedies to protect his rights such as appealing the validity of any subpoena.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
greatauntoftriplets
(175,766 posts)Their goal is to distract from Spanky's many crimes. That's what this is about.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
greatauntoftriplets
(175,766 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BuffaloJackalope
(818 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided