Trump acquittal now likely Wednesday; Senate rejects witnesses

Despite the Democrats' singular, sometimes-passionate focus on calling witnesses, the numbers are now falling short. It would take four Republicans to break with the 53-seat majority and join with all Democrats to demand more testimony.

I find it hilarious that this article's authors, Lisa Mascaro, Eric Tucker, and Zeke Miller, assume that no Democrats will vote for ending this House Democrat debacle as early as possible. Is that what they've been told to write by the CNN-types, and Democrat pundits? Is that the official opinion of the DNC?

The House Democrats had their turn to call as many witnesses as they wanted. Committee Chairman Nadler, and Schiff, permitted House Dems to call 17 witnesses, but refused to allow Republican, or Presidential, to call witnesses. Fair, or unfair? House Democrats failed to follow thru on their own issued subpoenas, and then chose to blame Republicans, and Trump for failing to submit to those subpoenas. Fair, or unfair? House Democrats repeatedly claimed that they had a solid case for impeachment when they finally handed their case to the Senate, but immediately called for more witnesses in order to strengthen their weak impeachment charges. Lame, or really lame?

The whole circus with traits of a kangaroo court will be over soon.

Over and done. Somehow CNN and liberals never even considered that any Dem might also vote for no witnesses, yeah.

but of course in the end they all voted with the hive mind only for politics at the end. Again. despite all the lecturing from them about oaths and open mindedness.

too late for Romney to run for President?

The eventual acquittal was increasingly clear after key Republicans said Thursday night they had heard enough.

I love the smell of whitewash in the morning.

Romney can run as Pierre Delecto (D-Utah)

Another nail in the coffin of American democracy.

Good thing we are a constitutional republic then.

Our 100 senators elected by the people of all states and all winners of the popular vote, voted on the issue and we won.

Chose to not have witnesses following the Biden rule of 1999. which is within their rights to do. Some people (only our side) even voted for the other side position.

What’s not “democracy” about all that?

merry acquitmas!

Looks like the good ol' USA has gone full banana republic.

RIP democracy. Sure, we hardly knew ye.

The Dems did a good job proving guilt. This trial will go down as an exercise in partisanship where the GOP set aside their duty and voted party before country. My prediction is that they will pay a price at the polls for it, especially as more information comes out over the coming months.

The next question is what to do about the King Trump problem. The GOP has given him a green light to use taxpayer funds for personal benefit. Guys like Trump don't take this situation to learn a lesson, they use it to see what they can get away with. Look for more countries to get pulled into our domestic politics now and long after Trump is gone.

I never instructed John Bolton to set up a meeting for Rudy Giuliani, one of the greatest corruption fighters in America and by far the greatest mayor in the history of NYC, to meet with President Zelenskiy.

Wow. You know when Trump kisses up to someone like that, that someone must be holding some seriously damaging dirt, which Giuliani had previously alluded to.

Removal or not, this is far from over.

When you seriously think about it, the Democrats have been relentlessly harassing this President right from the beginning..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/01/20/the-campaign-to-impeach-president-trump-has-begun/

...since then it’s just nonstop attacks again and again on anything the Democrats or the media could find and the people are really sick and tired on both sides, the country is divided and the people that hate Trump will always hate him and want to see him punished and removed and the people that support him want him to stay and will support him, so on both sides, people have made up their minds. Pelosi lied when she said the President should only be impeached with bipartisan support, there wasn’t any. The Dems rushed this through as fast as they could on the flimsiest of facts and even a few Democrats that agreed the President made an inappropriate phone call, it wasn’t enough to try and remove this President. The man had a special counsel after him for 2 years with over 500 witnesses, 500 subpoenas led by mostly Hillary donating Democrat lawyers, not a single Republican and still there was nothing, they tried to smear his SC pick and when all that didn’t work and in December and in going into an election year they impeach this President. It’s obviously clear the Democrats will never accept anything other than a conviction and a removal.

Even if witnesses are called, the Dems would try something else to extend it, it just will never end and everyone knows this, the roast is done, it’s enough and the Dems played their political card again. The House Dems could have called the witnesses they wanted, they chose to hurry this thing along because they knew calling witnesses would take time, time they don’t have and then had the audacity to expect and make the Senate do the work for them. They only have themselves to blame They don’t get it, never have and never will.

The Dems did a good job proving guilt.

Yes, they also proved that what the President did wasn’t impeachable.

This trial will go down as an exercise in partisanship where the GOP set aside their duty and voted party before country.

And for the Dems it will go down that they put politics and party for a power grab over country.

My prediction is that they will pay a price at the polls for it, especially as more information comes out over the coming months.

Equally for the Dems that had the audacity to try and remove this president

The next question is what to do about the King Trump problem. The GOP has given him a green light to use taxpayer funds for personal benefit.

Here we go with that debunked nonsense again. Lol

Guys like Trump don't take this situation to learn a lesson, they use it to see what they can get away with. Look for more countries to get pulled into our domestic politics now and long after Trump is gone.

“To learn a lesson?” The Democrats are just dumb, if anything, they should have learned from history that impeachment is something that just doesn’t work and is bad for the country and the majority of people don’t want it and here we go down that road again and why? It’s because the Democrats never, ever, ever learn and never will.

Another nail in the coffin of American democracy.

No, it's another nail in the coffin of the coup to remove a duly elected president for the sole purpose of overturning the 2016 election.

Here we go with that debunked nonsense again. Lol

Even you said he acted inappropriately and used poor judgement. We are on the same page about guilt, and I'll remind you that your position isn't that he's innocent but that it doesn't rise to the level of impeachment.

The Republicans prefer to ignore the obvious while embracing political abuses and wrongdoings as the new normal.

Had this been Obama, he'd have been impeached by those on both sides of the aisle.

America's for sale.

ignoramus: an ignorant or stupid person

Removal or not, this is far from over.

Not. But you're right about it's not over, the Democrats will probably continue trying to undermine and remove this president as they are slow learners.

Even you said he acted inappropriately and used poor judgement. We are on the same page about guilt, and I'll remind you that your position isn't that he's innocent but that it doesn't rise to the level of impeachment.

Yes, but I don’t think he should be removed. I felt the same about Clinton, now he shouldn’t have lied under oath and I definitely thought he should be censured, but that’s about it, had the Dems done the same with Trump, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but the Dems wanted Trump’s head and all the flesh they could get with that and it failed....again.

Had this been Obama, he'd have been impeached by those on both sides of the aisle. 

Many wanted to, many thought about it, but they were smart enough to not take that road again.

@Serrano

". . .the Democrats will probably continue trying to undermine and remove this president as they are slow learners."

At the same time, Trump and the Republicans are busy dismantling and undermining the U.S. constitution. Plus, Trump will really run roughshod now that he has this corrupt Republican senate's approval for lawbreaking.

A bad day for democracy.

Well, this is what we expected with this Republican senate, but it's still painful to watch, like watching a fatal car crash in slow motion. All the more painful because it's the constitution that's being trashed, ground up and shredded in a meat grinder.

The House managers had their chance to get everything they wanted during the impeachment inquiry but for some reason they held a half-****d investigation and inexplicably refused to even subpoena their star witness Ambassador Bolton. Why in the world would you pass up the chance to get everything you wanted only to claim a Constitutional crisis when the opposition follows your lead and refuses to subpoena a witness Schiff, Nadler, and Pelosi passed up on?

But the good news for the Democrats is that they can redo the whole thing over again in two weeks after Trumps exonerated in February 5th. Then can the Dems hold a fair inquiry which includes representatives from the president and witnesses that they want to hear from?

Let’s do this all over again! And whomever wins in November lets immediately convene another impeachment inquiry.

At the same time, Trump and the Republicans are busy dismantling and undermining the U.S. constitution. Plus,

As if Democrats cared about the constitution and the rules of law, we can take apart every argument point by point where Democrats flushed laws down the toilet to get this guy. Whatever it took to bring this guy down and it failed...once again. But we know, they’re so obsessed even after this is over, they will continue and always will. That’s the face of the real Democrat party.

Trump will really run roughshod now that he has this corrupt Republican senate's approval for lawbreaking.

Lawbreaking, the Democrats unlawfully started a two year investigation weaponizing the intelligence agency to get this guy and when that failed, they tried to impeach and remove him, now that’s failed. So what’s next? They want to take the Lincoln route next?

A bad day for democracy.

A very bad day for the Democrats.

Well, this is what we expected with this Republican senate,

Which made it all the more made it vexing as to why the Dems would be so crazy to do this.

but it's still painful to watch, like watching a fatal car crash in slow motion. All the more painful because it's the constitution that's being trashed, ground up and shredded in a meat grinder.

We felt the same in 1998, but we manned up and survived it, you guys will as well.

Everyone knew Chump would never be dumped, witnesses or no witnesses.

It was always about circling the wagons to protect ones own self-interests - if the Chosen One goes maybe I'm next, oh help me god.

But watching from the stalls it's certainly been entertaining.

The squirming, the prevaricating, the deceiving, the lying have all been fun. Enjoyed the drama, only I feel a little sorry for my close friends in the US who have had to bear this diversion of sludge into the Repub Swamp.

But with so much now known and more details to pour out post senate-save-our-souls-sham, history will not treat the incumbents and their fingers in the pie buddies well.

One could have given Trump a degree of benefit of doubt, but the sheer volume of facts are too overwhelming to ignore.

The swamp may well be drained in the future, but the squalid mud will stick and Trumpo and associates will be forever soiled.

The post presidency ( 1 or 4 more years doesn't matter) litigations will be so prolific, that removal from office by the senate will appear as the better outcome - in hindsight.

Awaiting the circuses. Fire the Hoops. Yee - Hah!

The dictatorship is upon you.

Listen not to its mouthpieces who will try to browbeat and gaslight you into weary submission.

Freedom is coming.

 it's the constitution that's being trashed, ground up and shredded in a meat grinder.

The Senate is going to put a stop to all that.

Hey stormcrow - watch this:

Varney: Impeachment is about finished, spelling disaster for elites

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MFyBqW2Hqc

@Bass

"Many wanted to (impeach Obama), many thought about it, but they were smart enough not to take that road again."

I don't recall Obama asking for help from Russia, Ukraine or China or any other foreign powers to help get himself elected. What impeachable offenses are you referring to?

While this result was expected, and not a surprise whatsoever, it's still disappointing to see 51 US senators sell out the future of their country for this man Trump.

Cutting off their head to spite their body.

it's still disappointing to see 51 US senators sell out the future of their country for this man Trump.

They didn't sell out the future of the U.S., they will put a stop to this sham impeachment that is hurting the country. It's disappointing to see 49 senators vote to continue this farce.

bass: Lawbreaking, the Democrats unlawfully started a two year investigation weaponizing the intelligence agency

Huh? Are you saying Democrats started the Mueller investigation?

Serrano: they will put a stop to this sham impeachment that is hurting the country. 

You think Trump was innocent, or guilty but shouldn't be removed?

Well, its rather interesting watching the Repubs commit political suicide - I mean the cover-up is right there in plain sight for everyone to see. Donnie tried to bribe a foreign government with Congress-approved military aid in return for them opening a shame investigation on his main political rival - one beating him in all (to include Fox News) polls...

There it is in a nutshell - and the Pubs just marched off the cliff like lemmings following the Pied Piper...

Good riddance Republican Party - you'll be out of power until Nikki Haley can purge the Trumpers and return the party to some degree of decency...and that will take a long time...

Listen not to its mouthpieces who will try to browbeat and gaslight you into weary submission.

We did. for 3 years now, it’s enough.

Freedom is coming.

It’s already here once again.

I don't recall Obama asking for help from Russia, Ukraine or China or any other foreign powers to help get himself elected.

No, but when you look at “fast and furious, Banghazi, DACA”, the Iran deal, there was a slew of things the Republicans COULD have impeached this President on and would have been under House impeachment rules their prerogative, but there were Republicans that already had a bad taste in their mouths from the last impeachment and knew the political ramifications could be severe if they did so, so they left it, wise choice, but the Democrats as always the hardheaded people they are wanted to bulldoze their way through this process. They rushed this, didn’t have bipartisan support and then expected the Republicans to do their job. For the life of me, Dershowitz should have failed some of these people when they were in his class.

In years to come, this era will be seen as one of America's darkest.

It there is an America in years to come.

What is particularly shameful, is the sheer volume of lies that Trump and his supporters used to seize and hang onto power.

They will not relinquish it easily.

The Republican Party....after this obvious cover-up, it needs a new name.

Remember Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs?

The Republican Party is now "Dirty Donnie and the Dumpster Dwellers"...

@Bass

And these tragedies and policy decisions (the ones you disagree with anyway) you refer to compare in some way to asking foreign countries for help in getting elected? I still don't see your point.

Bass, do you think it's OK for a presidential candidate to ask a foreign country to help get him/herself elected?

Russia, if you're listening . . .

In years to come, this era will be seen as one of America's darkest.

Not by Conservatives or even independent leaning conservatives.

It there is an America in years to come.

There will be, but not a socialist one, God willing.

What is particularly shameful, is the sheer volume of lies that Trump and his supporters used to seize and hang onto power.

The Democrats Lied from the very beginning to get rid of this President and are still doing it, there lies is what brought them here today and their lies is what cost them the election in 2016 and it’s their lies that will bury them again in a few months.

They will not relinquish it easily.

Liberals never do. Power is a helluva drug.

And these tragedies and policy decisions (the ones you disagree with anyway) you refer to compare in some way to asking foreign countries for help in getting elected? I still don't see your point.

Yeah, that’s the problem with liberals, they really “don’t” see the point

do you think it's OK for a presidential candidate to ask a foreign country to help get him/herself elected?

To inquire information about his political rival, the way Hillary and Obama and McCain did on Trump? Absolutely.

Russia, if you're listening . 

Christopher Steele was Russian?

Dark days for American democracy.

The villain of this sordid piece is John Bolton. He could have testified to the House committees, but he wanted to write and profit from his book first. He always quacked about America's honor and greatness, but he sold his country for a book fee. We liberals always had him pegged for a louse. Now we're sure.

The GOP's arguments retreated from "he did not do it" to "okay, he did do it, but whatcha gonna do about it?" That is all there is to read into this: a complete GOP capitulation to Trump Kool-Aid.

The writing was on the wall since the beginning, but don't think it will end here. Not only will investigations continue and precedent set for future presidents, but Trump has but another reason to fear defeat in November. And do not pretend that he will not double down on his criminality: history shows that that is all he ever does.

If the Pubs do vote to acquit and cover-up the whole sordid and criminal shakedown, it could only be compared to this;

Someone, the only clue being he is orange, shoots someone dead on 5th Ave...the orange suspect is indicted and a trial is held...

There were up to seven witnesses who saw this murder directly, but they have all gone into hiding and can't testify...

Many of the subordinates who work for these seven, testify that they heard from these seven that the Orange suspect was the one that committed the murder - several testified that they overheard his voice on a cell phone discussing it. In a written summary of a phone call, the suspect admits to the crime, and his Chief of Staff brags about the murder in a press conference; "we do it all the time".

Still a majority of the jury wants more evidence. Then, one of the original seven at the scene comes forward and says yes, I saw the orange suspect directly take out a gun and shoot the victim dead - and I'm willing to testify to that fact.

But the majority on the jury say; no - we don't want to hear from you, the trial is closed and finished.

Some justice, huh....

The words Trump fears most from the next Democratic president: "Sure, we'll relax sanctions on you. But first, we need a favor: dirt on Trump."

See, precedent has made that all kosher now.

It is a tough thing to admit but the American system of Democracy is broken and no longer works. The fact officials can take oaths and clearly break them to stay in power is demonstration of the depth of the damage.

With oath's of office now meaningless there can be no trust in a system run for the few for their own benefit, rather than doing what is best for the country as a whole. The people always should come first, business second. Without people there is no business. Without business there would be fewer people. There needs to be minimum wages for people and maximum earnings for people and Business. The environment must be taken into consideration at the same level as fairness between employer and employee based on laws that are enforced.

Trump is a despot and his republican party is by the rich for the rich and everyone else is a commodity to be used until it is no longer useful then cut it loose. The example and precedent is about to be made by the Republican Senate that gives Presidents the power to break rules and laws and not be found guilty as long as his party controls the Senate and all members have no intention of voting for what is right but only to vote for continued corruption.

Hey Donnie - here's some good news to go along with your cover-up....

The U.S. economy grew 2.3% last year, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That's a slowdown from the previous year, when the economy grew 2.9%. And it's well short of the 3% growth target set by the White House.

https://www.npr.org/2020/01/30/800985774/u-s-economy-slowed-in-2019-to-2-3

Great trend, huh, downward?

Well, it's what history has shown us, Repub vs Dem;

Bush 1 had a lackluster economy, then Clinton took it to its highest ever and out first budget surplus in decades...

Bush 2 comes in and besides getting us into a trillion dollar unpaid war, crashes the economy to its lowest since the Great Depression - and Obama comes in and turns it around and saves the auto industry...

Trump tries to kill the economy by engaging in needless trade wars and implementing tariffs - which even his own Repubs disagree with - and we get the weak GDP numbers shown...

Keep that downward trend going Donnie - we'll be at negative GDP growth by Nov...

"Many national security aides to the president, McMaster, Mattis, Tillerson, many of them have come to the conclusion, like Bolton, that the president of the United States is a danger to our national security and the fact that none of these advisers has spoken out loud and instead comes to reporters . . . and tells us about these things without being willing to go public....They too are craven, the same way we are seeing in the Senate, we should know about this from the people who experienced it before we got to this point with Bolton . . . and Kelly and on and on . . . "

.......Carl Bernstein (Feb. 1, 2020)

The GOP's arguments retreated from "he did not do it" to "okay, he did do it, but whatcha gonna do about it?" That is all there is to read into this: a complete GOP capitulation to Trump Kool-Aid. 

How?

The writing was on the wall since the beginning, but don't think it will end here. Not only will investigations continue and precedent set for future presidents,

Yes, so now the Dems opened the door and any party can now impeach a President for anything, even the common code.

but Trump has but another reason to fear defeat in November.

How? Warren, Nope! Sanders, Nope! Biden.....no! So what will the Dems do.

And do not pretend that he will not double down on his criminality: history shows that that is all he ever does.

The Dems won’t give up their criminality, they’ll still continue to try and unsuccessfully take this President down.

SuperLibToday 09:17 am JSTThe Dems did a good job proving guilt. This trial will go down as an exercise in partisanship where the GOP set aside their duty and voted party before country. My prediction is that they will pay a price at the polls for it, especially as more information comes out over the coming months.

The next question is what to do about the King Trump problem. The GOP has given him a green light to use taxpayer funds for personal benefit. Guys like Trump don't take this situation to learn a lesson, they use it to see what they can get away with. Look for more countries to get pulled into our domestic politics now and long after Trump is gone.

These senators have failed democracy, failed the American people, failed the Founding Fathers, failed all the previous governments, failed the military veterans who served defending + even those who gave their lives for it,  failed our principals and traditions, failed the free world, failed NATO, failed God and failed even themselves.

How do they sleep? The guilt of the death of American democracy and its transition to fascism will forever rest on their treasonous heads!

“The sooner the better for the country,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump confidant. “Let's turn the page.”

Reinforcing what everyone knew, the GOP has neither brains nor balls.

“The sooner the better for the country,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump confidant. “Let's turn the page.”

We don’t needs to turn a page, we need to close the book on this party without morals or principles.

And just to let everyone know this party is not recyclable, nothing in it is worth saving or reusable!!!

It is quite incredible to see a trial not allowing witnesses against the accused. Democracy and decency could be finished in the United States if Republicans further damage what was the United States of America. It'd be funny if it wasn't so sad that Republicans call for the Bidens to the stand, when it has nothing to do with the actual impeachment trial of Trump. Juvenile behavior by Republicans is something I'm glad they don't readily teach to kids where I live. The reasoning of Trump's quid pro quo, contrary to what Dershowitz says, is not OK, even though Republicans want to say illegal activity is all right with this presidents, whom they are non caring whether America becomes a demagoguery of Trump's insanity.

These senators have failed democracy, 

Because liberals didn’t get the outcome THEY wanted?

failed the American people, failed the Founding Fathers,failed all the previous governments, failed the military veterans who served defending + even those who gave their lives for it, failed our principals and traditions, failed the free world, failed NATO, failed God and failed even themselves. 

Hmmm, imagine if that were said 8 years ago if the previous President were impeached. The more the Democrats and liberals continue to whine, the more it just makes them look like spoiled babies. Dershowitz and Turley some of the most smartest legal minds on the planet warned them of this and yet, they wanted to go down this road and undue and election of a President that was duly elected by the people, that is usurping the political process and they got what they deserved, nothing.

How do they sleep? 

close our eyes and soundly...with My pillow.

The guilt of the death of American democracy and its transition to fascism will forever rest on their treasonous heads

What?? Lol