'Impeach - The Case against Donald Trump'
Author Neal Ketyal has a new book out, and he makes some truly excellent points in the following interviewIn response to:
Former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal argues that there are three "high crimes" that he says the president is "clearly" guilty of. He explains to Steve Kornacki why, because of those alleged high crimes, he feels the House must impeach Trump and the Senate should remove him from office.
Former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal argues that there are three "high crimes" that he says the president is "clearly" guilty of. He explains to Steve Kornacki why, because of those alleged high crimes, he feels the House must impeach Trump and the Senate should remove him from office.
Book Review;
In response to:
Neal Katyal makes an unimpeachable case, concise but comprehensive, for impeachment. The author of Impeach knows the law and how to practice it. An attorney who has argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court, Neal Katyal was Acting Solicitor General for the United States in the Obama administration. He is also a law professor at George Washington University.
He goes to the heart of the matter by quoting today’s vice president, Michael Pence, when he served in the House of Representatives in 2008: “This business of high crimes and misdemeanors goes to the question of whether or not the person serving as President of the United States put their own interests, their personal interests, ahead of public service.”
This statement Katyal calls the “Pence Standard” and refers to it throughout the book. The author says he is not a partisan but an “extreme centrist”—determined to apply the same legal yardstick to every case regardless of its party connection. Though this book attacks a Republican president, Katyal earlier clerked for today’s Chief Justice, John Roberts, and supported Trump’s appointments of justices Neal Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
Katyal addresses some basic questions: Why our founders (and Pence) would have impeached Trump. What high crimes and misdemeanors are and are not. Why we need to impeach Trump and why this is different from Mueller. Why we can’t wait until the next election. To understand what are impeachable offenses, Katyal reviews the impeachment cases of presidents Tyler, Johnson, Nixon, and Clinton.
Digging into the charges against Trump, Katyal examines the evidence that Trump accepted and sought information from a foreign government to help him against a political rival; that he withheld security assistance to Ukraine and then asked for a favor to release it. He reviews the July 25 phone conversation with President Zelensky, and observes that Trump never once discussed U.S. national interests or Ukraine’s war with Russia.
The anonymous whistleblower complaint against Trump, as Katyal reports, was not sent to Congress for weeks after it was submitted to the intelligence community inspector general on August 22. This aspect of the story takes Katyal back to 1777 when two naval officers reported that their commander had tortured British prisoners. When the two whistleblowers were fired, the Continental Congress compensated them and passed a whistleblower protection act.
Katyal himself defended a whistleblower who, after 9/11, complained that the government was reducing the number of TSA marshals on flights. The Supreme Court in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts gave the whistleblower his life back. President Trump, however, has demanded unmasking today’s whistleblower, calling him almost a “spy.”
This book is nothing if not up to date. Published in November 2019, it refers to many events and documents released as recently as September. To be sure, much of the material has already been in the public domain, but Katyal with his legal mind analyzes it in a novel way. For example: If the president really wanted Ukrainians to investigate a case, he would not demand that they announce their decision to do so, because this would tip off the suspects. Nor would the State Department budget to promote anticorruption in Ukraine have been cut from $30 to $13 million......
Neal Katyal makes an unimpeachable case, concise but comprehensive, for impeachment. The author of Impeach knows the law and how to practice it. An attorney who has argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court, Neal Katyal was Acting Solicitor General for the United States in the Obama administration. He is also a law professor at George Washington University.
He goes to the heart of the matter by quoting today’s vice president, Michael Pence, when he served in the House of Representatives in 2008: “This business of high crimes and misdemeanors goes to the question of whether or not the person serving as President of the United States put their own interests, their personal interests, ahead of public service.”
This statement Katyal calls the “Pence Standard” and refers to it throughout the book. The author says he is not a partisan but an “extreme centrist”—determined to apply the same legal yardstick to every case regardless of its party connection. Though this book attacks a Republican president, Katyal earlier clerked for today’s Chief Justice, John Roberts, and supported Trump’s appointments of justices Neal Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
Katyal addresses some basic questions: Why our founders (and Pence) would have impeached Trump. What high crimes and misdemeanors are and are not. Why we need to impeach Trump and why this is different from Mueller. Why we can’t wait until the next election. To understand what are impeachable offenses, Katyal reviews the impeachment cases of presidents Tyler, Johnson, Nixon, and Clinton.
Digging into the charges against Trump, Katyal examines the evidence that Trump accepted and sought information from a foreign government to help him against a political rival; that he withheld security assistance to Ukraine and then asked for a favor to release it. He reviews the July 25 phone conversation with President Zelensky, and observes that Trump never once discussed U.S. national interests or Ukraine’s war with Russia.
The anonymous whistleblower complaint against Trump, as Katyal reports, was not sent to Congress for weeks after it was submitted to the intelligence community inspector general on August 22. This aspect of the story takes Katyal back to 1777 when two naval officers reported that their commander had tortured British prisoners. When the two whistleblowers were fired, the Continental Congress compensated them and passed a whistleblower protection act.
Katyal himself defended a whistleblower who, after 9/11, complained that the government was reducing the number of TSA marshals on flights. The Supreme Court in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts gave the whistleblower his life back. President Trump, however, has demanded unmasking today’s whistleblower, calling him almost a “spy.”
This book is nothing if not up to date. Published in November 2019, it refers to many events and documents released as recently as September. To be sure, much of the material has already been in the public domain, but Katyal with his legal mind analyzes it in a novel way. For example: If the president really wanted Ukrainians to investigate a case, he would not demand that they announce their decision to do so, because this would tip off the suspects. Nor would the State Department budget to promote anticorruption in Ukraine have been cut from $30 to $13 million......
Comments (44)
So many wealthy people (lawyers etc.) getting richer out of all this, couldn't that monies rather be spent helping the needy in your country or worldwide?
I know you will probably say the 'tyrant' must be removed, but cant your party remove him at the voting stations when the time is right instead of all this wastage?
Indeed, I see it as very foolish to be loyal to any political party, as political parties often have agendas,
that are not in line with the desires of the public.
Instead, I back the best candidate, regardless of party.
In my lifetime I have voted for Independents, Republicans & Democrats, whoever I deem best.
So, I'm not sure what party you refer to, as independents are just that. They do not have an organized political party. Nonetheless, Trump has been both the worst candidate in many decades and the worst most criminal US president in history.
Regardless, if you actually watch the video, it is explained why it should not wait for the voters in the next presidential election. When high crimes & misdemeanors are committed, the president should be removed
from office. That is what the framers of the US Constitution had in mind, when it was composed. Ketyal explains that and it's history in the video.
While you mention the payments to lawyers as waste, you don't mention the continual damage Trump does to the USA every day he is in office and the many lawsuits and other legal actions necessary to prevent more damage from him while in office. The removal of that criminal and terrible rogue president is imperative.
THAT is the bottom line. If corrupt games prevent that from happening, that is a sad statement on our society, and those who attempt to enable such corruption should be held accountable.
The corrupt criminals accuse the man who is out to put an end to their corruption and crimes a corrupt criminal.
It's like the inmates running the asylum.
It's classic!
But IT FAILED
Can you ever say anything that isn't taught for you to say?
the crimes have already been committed but not by Trump. Why do you think they need to fabricate every thing on the fly? Why else would they need those groups to come up with "names" for the crimes they're covering up?
Why do you think that the crimes the criminalrat party has already committed should go unpunished and pinned on the person that didn't do them?
Sounds 'bout right.
It's like 'Crats are standing on a ledge & the Media & Pseudo-Pundits are yelling, "JUMP!!!"
It was telling how quickly Bill Maher acknowledged that what Rep. Gabbard said about Impeachment not being realistic was "probably right".
SHIFT LOCK CAPS
IF HE IS SUCH A TERRIFIC CRIMEWAVE
MOVE IT ALL OVER TO THE SENATE
AND LETS GET PHY$ICAL !
Like FAMILY NOW!
Schiff & Pelosi lack crime fighting skills
And need a full blown rOOster
To find the sun.
The evidence against Trump indicates beyond a reasonable doubt, that he committed crimes.
Cut n paste with arthritis
Apparently, there were not enough evidence of crimes, as there is for Trump. '
There have only been a few impeachments. It is reserved for high crimes & misdemeanors.
Trump is the only US president who involved the leaders of foreign nations in our elections.
That is a high crime against our country.
Perhaps the most severe since Benedict Arnold.
Perhaps you didn't pay attention, but I did. You're denying doesn't change the facts.
Why he matters: Vindman is one of several officials who listened to Trump's phone call with Zelensky on July 25. He served as the White House's top Ukraine expert.
What he told lawmakers: Vindman said in prepared remarks he twice reported concerns to superiors that the president and those working for him linked foreign aid to Ukraine with political investigations. He said he worried the efforts undermined U.S. national security.
In his public testimony on Nov. 20, Vindman said he reported his concerns about a July 10 meeting between Sondland and Ukrainian officials, as well as Trump's July 25 call with Zelensky, out of a sense of duty.
"I was concerned by the call," Vindman said. "What I heard was inappropriate."
Why he matters: Morrison is the top Russia and European adviser to Trump's National Security Council and was cited by multiple witnesses in conversations about a quid pro quo. He is a political appointee and not a career official.
What he told lawmakers: Morrison confirmed testimony given by Taylor that outlined a quid pro quo, basically halting aid until Ukraine committed to investigations.
Why she matters: A foreign policy aide to Vice President Mike Pence, Williams was one of a handful of officials who listened to Trump's July 25 call with the Ukrainian president.
What she told lawmakers: In her closed-door interview, Williams told lawmakers and staff it was “folly” to withhold military aid to Ukraine and that the call was “unusual.”
In her Nov. 19 public testimony, Williams said she found Trump’s July 25 phone call “unusual” because of the discussion of “a domestic political matter.”
Why he matters: In his public testimony, Taylor told lawmakers about a call one of his aides, later identified to be Holmes, overheard between Trump and Sondland in which Trump asked Sondland about "investigations."
What he told lawmakers: Holmes confirmed he overheard the call and that he "heard President Trump ask, 'So, he's gonna do the investigation?' Ambassador Sondland replied that 'he's gonna do it,' adding that President Zelensky will do 'anything you ask him to.'"
In his Nov. 21 public testimony, Holmes said U.S. foreign policy towards Ukraine "became overshadowed by a political agenda being promoted" by Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and a "cadre of officials operating with a direct channel to the White House."
Why he matters: Sandy a White House official in the Office of Management and Budget, is the first OMB official to testify in the inquiry.
What he told lawmakers: Documents presented during the deposition of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper showed that Sandy signed one of the "apportionment" letters in July 2019 halting security assistance to Ukraine.
POTUS has a duty to pursue corruption. And indeed US-Ukraine have a treaty that demands it.
Democrats wrongly think that they are above the law. They are not. And Biden(and others) will be brought to task for selling out their public office for decades.
Justice escapes no one in the end.
That's EXACTLY what Jim said about Trump.
We don't have an actual transcript. Lets hear the whole phone calls.
And even within those notes, Trump asked for a "favor" AFTER he withheld congress approved aid to Ukraine,
which is against US law.
He only wanted Zelensky to ANNOUNCE the investigation into Biden, so he could use it for political gain.
As Congressional testimonies verified, Trump didn't give a fu.. about Ukraine otherwise.
Stop the lame excuses. Trump is guilty.
Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union, testified on Wednesday that President Donald Trump cared most that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky publicly announce an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden and the company that employed his son, not that Ukraine actually conduct the probe.
“He had to announce the investigations,” Sondland said during the House impeachment inquiry, referring to Zelensky. “He didn’t actually have to do them, as I understood it.”
Unless of course you believe there should be a law that you shouldn't be allowed to talk about corruption when a Democrat is involved
Which is actually what I think a lot of Democrats think
Translation: SHE DOESN’T HAVE THE VOTES
How The Grinch Stole Nastics's Christmas
"Weeks ago the media was reporting that Democrats would like an impeachment vote by Thanksgiving. Then that was moved to Christmas. ..."
"Where is this all headed? Try not to get run over by Democrats moving the goalposts yet again: ..."
Chad Pergram
?
@ChadPergram
10) Do Democrats have the votes for impeachment? Pelosi is a master at reading her caucus. If Pelosi has the votes she’ll likely give the green light to impeach on the floor. If Pelosi doesn’t have the votes impeachment could wait – conceivably until the New Year.
41
7:22 PM - Dec 2, 2019
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Plus, as I've stated before, the closer the Senate trial is to the actual election, the fresher it will be in the minds of the voters and thus, the more damaging it will be for the reps who vote nay to impeach, and especially senators who vote nay to remove from office.
Way to let the cat out of the bag, though
The eternally springing child-like faith is charming, in a way
The political-reality equivalent of a theater full of kids wishing Tinkerbell not dead
Not so comfortable about those announcements now, are you ?
Distract from the severity of Trump's situation how ever makes you feel comfortable.
But, the reality is, that Trump will be impeached and it will result with republicans losing their seats in Congress and perhaps in the White House, as it should.
Someone had probably reached out to Comey and informed him that if he cleared her of wrongdoing, he would be assured of the top job upon her (presumed) inauguration.
It couldn't have backfired worse
'Course, a lot of 'em MAY be thinking that.
The operative word being "sane", y'all understand