Last Saturday the “prosecution” a.k.a. Democrats rested and Trump’s lawyers were able to start the defense portion of the impeachment trial. The two-hour preview of the Republican defense against Adam Schiff & company’s bogus impeachment was a powerful takedown. In fact, anyone watching that preview of what is to come could be excused for skipping the main course. The presentation provided everything the Senate needed to know.
The presentation began with the shameful recording of Schiff’s goofy description of the telephone call that never was. Then the presenters reminded the Senate of Schiff’s shenanigans in manipulating the whistleblower’s role in his bogus process.
The president’s team didn’t have to actually call Schiff a liar; they only had to present the facts: Schiff quickly abandoned the whistleblower when it became clear that he manipulated the system and lied about his corrupt role.
Schiff’s performance the night before, by the way, was astonishing and a stupid, unforced error. He alluded to a CBS fake news report that if Republican senators didn’t support the president, the party would have their “head on a pike.”
Democrats want to double down on damaging the President. They can’t do it with their lame articles. Their witnesses weren’t enough, and they know it. They want to weaponize testimony from the President’s inner circle. To do that, they need to peel off four Republicans. Schiff’s stupid remark may have just cost them two.
It now has become clear why the articles of impeachment include the obstruction of justice charge. It provides bogus cover for their tawdry and incomplete investigation. Their argument is that the President thwarted them at every turn. They didn’t have time to go through a court battle. They needed to strike before the President did more harm to the Constitution.
That argument, the defense continued, lacked substance. The initial White House resistance to subpoenas from Schiff’s committee was based on the fact that the subpoenas had no legal standing. The House had not yet voted to open a formal impeachment inquiry.
Then there was the team’s compelling argument about the actual telephone call that started this mess. Nothing that the Democrats claim comes within a country mile of being corroborated in the telephone transcript. Nothing the President said was improper nor impeachable.
Likewise, security staffer Lieutenant Colonel Vindman, likely the whistleblower’s source, had policy objections. So what? Everyone heard the testimony of a Lieutenant General who repeatedly stated the he saw nothing wrong with how President Trump handled himself.
Then the presenters recalled the testimony of EU Ambassador Sondland. Sondland stated that even though President Trump told him directly that there was absolutely no quid pro quo from the Ukrainians, Sondland had a deep impression that the opposite was true.
The video of Amb. Sondland’s testimony where he repeated that opinion over and over was powerful. You can’t impeach a president on policy differences and the bad opinions of subordinates.
So, the difficult task the senate faces here is trying a case without thorough investigation and no reliable firsthand witnesses. We need more witnesses, Democrats whine. Don’t the American people deserve to hear all the evidence? To reprise the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s comments from the outset: Democrats, you had your chance.
There is, however, more evidence out there in the corrupt Washington, DC establishment. But it doesn’t help the Democrats’ case. Those two other swamp creatures, Joe and Hunter Biden are cases in point.
If the Bidens testify during the trial, the Democrats will be stuck with the candidacy of Crazy Bernie, or worse, Pocahontas Warren—and President Trump will beat either of those two like a drum.
