While Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was presenting his arguments at the Impeachment Hearings the Fox News Channel was covering it. MSNBC and CNN were in commercial for a lengthy time and then covered the Iowa Caucus. Afterall, who can blame MSNBC and CNN for positioning themselves in the fragmented cable spectrum as a particularly skewed news source. And we believe all of America knows what that is…anti-republican, anti-conservative, liberal, etc.. The problem is that news should be objective. Otherwise it borders on propaganda.
For weeks we saw on our cable news guides “The Impeachment of Donald J. Trump.” Hearing multiple testimonies from House Democratic Representatives.
A few weeks ago a news executive was heard to have said that the impeachment “IS” the news. Though with today’s change of coverage perhaps these news channels are changing course.
Senator McConnell made some compelling arguments. And if your television remote is stuck on MSNBC or CNN you are not giving due process a chance. Here are some of his points:
“Senators have heard sworn video testimony from 13 witnesses, over 193 video clips, we have entered over 28,000 pages of documents into evidence, including 17 depositions. Our members have asked 180 questions.”
“In contrast to the House Proceedings, our trial gave both sides a fair platform. Just as democrats, such as, the current democratic leader, and then senator, Joe Biden argued at length in 1999, “‘we recognize that Senate Traditions impose no obligation to hear new live witness testimony if it is not necessary to decide the case.”‘ The House Managers themselves said over and over that additional testimony was not necessary to prove their case. They claimed dozens of times that their existing case was quote, “‘overwhelming and incontrovertible,”‘…at the same time they were arguing for more witnesses. When in reality both of the House accusations are Constitutionally incoherent.”
“The obstruction of power charge is absurd and dangerous. House Democrats argued that anytime the Speaker invokes a House sole-power of Impeachment, the President must do whatever the House demands. No questions asked. Invoking executive Branch privileges, and immunities, and response to House subpoenas becomes an impeachable offense.”
“Here’s how Chairman Schiff put it back in October quote, “‘Any action that forces us to litigate, or have to consider litigation, will be considered further evidence of obstruction of justice.”‘ That Mr. President is Nonsense Impeachment. That is nonsense.”
“Impeachment is not some magical constitutional trump card that melts away the separations between the branches of government. The premise does not leave the House a secret constitutional steam-roller that everyone somehow overlooked for 230 years.”
“When Congress subpoenas Executive Branch officials with questions of privilege, the two sides either reach an accommodation or they go to court. That’s the way it works.”
“So, can you imagine, if the shoe were on the other foot? How would democrats and the press have responded if House Republicans had told President Obama, we don’t want to litigate our subpoenas over fast and furious, so if you make us set foot in court, we’ll just impeach you? Of course, that’s not what happened. The Republican House litigated it’s subpoenas for years until they prevailed.”
Hopefully the end of this Impeachment Hearing will permit us to move forward and focus on productive issues and goals within our great country.
- 02/04/20
- James Alfredo
