Neguse also references an article from law professor Jonathan Turley — who played a key role in Trump's first impeachment — saying that “up until just a few weeks ago,” he believed the Constitution allowed the impeachment of former officials.
“Professor Jonathan Turley’s words” pic.twitter.com/5jI1lsMDq2
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 9, 2021
Turley responds on Twitter, saying his views “have evolved not on the value of such trials but on the text,” and that the article Neguse cited was from 1999.
As noted, my views have evolved not on the value of such trials but on the text. Others, like Laurence Tribe (who is also cited by the House), have also evolved in their views in the last two decades. https://t.co/awVhtJDEh7 Most of us have said this remains a close question.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 9, 2021
“I have certainly become more textual in the last three decades, which I have written about. However, this was not a recent change as suggested by Rep. Neguse,” Turley said.
Representative Joe Neguse (D., Colo.) is laying out the legal case for why the trial is constitutional, even if President Trump is no longer in office.
He says that legal scholars “overwhelmingly” have come to the conclusion that the Senate “must hear this case,” and cites a letter signed by Steve Calabresi (co-founder of the Federalist Society).
“[O]ur carefully considered views of the law lead all of us to agree that the Constitution permits the impeachment, conviction, and disqualification of former officers, including presidents,” the January letter reads.
Here's the 10-minute video House impeachment managers showed to open the impeachment trial:
Democrats kick off impeachment trial with video of Jan. 6, showing Trump's remarks at the rally followed by the violent and deadly insurrection in the Capitol.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 9, 2021
"Senators, the president was impeached by the U.S. House of representatives January 13th for doing that," Raskin says pic.twitter.com/YOA75QXEnc
Raskin has opened the trial by presenting a montage of video evidence detailing the events of January 6. He also attacked the Trump defense team's constitutionality argument, and said he would reserve time for a rebuttal.
House impeachment manager Jamie Raskin on Trump's defense: "Their argument is that if you commit an impeachable offense in your last few weeks in office, you do it with constitutional impunity."
— John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) February 9, 2021
Eleven Republicans — including presumed 2024 hopefuls Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Marco Rubio — have voted against the Trump trial’s organizing resolution.
Biden press secretary Jen Psaki declines to comment on the constitutionality of Trump’s second impeachment trial, continuing a White House theme of staying out of the issue altogether.
"Joe Biden is the president, he's not a pundit," @presssec says, and isn't going to opine on the impeachment back-and-forth in the Senate.
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) February 9, 2021
"We're not going to weigh in on every question about the impeachment trial," said @PressSec reiterating the admin line when asked about impeachment that the president's focus is on putting people back to work and getting the pandemic under control.
— Patsy Widakuswara (@pwidakuswara) February 9, 2021
Politico reported Monday that the Biden strategy is to "Sit back and STFU."
Another update: Senate GOP hoping to wrap up trial before next week.
GOP senators at lunch just now discussed the possibility trial could be done Saturday night with a final vote then, per two senators. They expect the Trump legal team will NOT use up their full 16 hours and don’t expect senators to use their full four hours of question time.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 9, 2021
And so it begins!
"All persons are commanded to be silent on pain of imprisonment" is a great way to start a meeting.
— John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) February 9, 2021
Senator Roy Blunt (R., Mo.) offers a GOP bellwether on the trial's prospective timeline . . .
https://twitter.com/jackturmanIII/status/1359199451156463617
The House impeachment managers, led by Jamie Raskin of Maryland — a former professor of constitutional law at American University — are walking into the Senate with the trial about to begin.