Former Trump transition official calls for impeachment
J.W. Verret, a George Mason University law professor who briefly worked on President Trump's transition team, is calling for Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump in the wake of the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report.
Verret, who worked as deputy director of economic policy for Trump's presidential transition from August to October 2016, first argued for impeachment last week, saying that there was "enough" in Mueller's report to justify it.
Verret expanded upon his argument on Tuesday, writing in a column for The Atlantic that the Mueller report served as a "tipping point" for him, one that sparked him to transition "from Trump team member to pragmatist about Trump to advocate for his impeachment."
Verret, who has worked on every Republican presidential transition team of the last decade, writes that he was one of the first individuals to join Trump's after interviewing for the job in August 2016. But he noted that he "amicably" parted ways with the team in October after it became clear he wasn't a fit. Verret said he never hid his distaste of Trump's rhetoric on immigration and trade.
But he said never considered joining the "Never Trump" Republicans until the Mueller report's release.
"In the face of a Department of Justice policy that prohibited him from indicting a sitting president, Mueller drafted what any reasonable reader would see as a referral to Congress to commence impeachment hearings," he wrote, adding that Trump's "elaborate pattern of obstruction may have successfully impeded the Mueller investigation from uncovering a conspiracy to commit more serious crimes."
"Republicans who stand up to Trump today may face some friendly fire," Verret continues. "Today’s Republican electorate seems spellbound by the sound bites of Twitter and cable news, for which Trump is a born wizard.
"Yet, in time, we can help rebuild the Republican Party, enabling it to rise from the ashes of the post-Trump apocalypse into a party with renewed commitment to principles of liberty, opportunity, and the rule of law."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Justice Department last week released Mueller's report on his 22-month investigation into Russian interference and possible obstruction of justice by Trump. Mueller did not uncover evidence to conclude that the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow.
The report notes that the special counsel was unable to “conclusively determine” that no criminal conduct occurred in regard to obstruction of justice.
Multiple 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Kamala Harris (Calif.), have called for Congress to begin impeachment proceedings based on the findings in the report.
The entire impeachment idea is a waste of time and effort. It's an act of spinning your wheels and detracts from the actual message that shows the contrast between Trump and the Democratic candidates running for president.
You will never get this senate to vote for impeachment. It's exactly the same thing the Republicans did with Bill Clinton. The senate refused to impeach Clinton as well.
There are 12 secret investigations going on right now. You are going to have to make it impossible for a Republican senate to refuse to impeach Trump. You aren't even close to being there yet.
As of now it's doing nothing but grabbing the media spotlight when there are actual, real issues that should be occupying that air time. Those supporting impeachment at this stage of the game are falling into a trap that only hurts their own side.
Once again the loudest in the party are making it look like everyone on that side is a whackamole.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I'm not crazy about impeaching before 2020, but I also think the dems face a dilemma that they have a duty to impeach this president for his disregard of the law and constitution. Allowing this to go unchecked over potential political fallout sets a very bad precedent for future candidates and presidents to abuse the system too.
You pass laws that prevent future presidents from doing the things he's done. The thing is you have to have the support and votes to impeach. If you fail at it, it can and most likely will cost you the election.
The results would be not only didn't you impeach him, but you most likely handed him another four years. That's a lose/lose proposition.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Too late in the game to impeach. The only way he’s getting impeached is if something from the SDNY comes out.
The mueller report allowed the American people to officially see the corruption and shadiness that is trump and his administration. It also emphasized to the American people that yes, Russian absolutely meddled by hacking the DNC, with the main goal of helping trump get elected.
Defeat him in the ballot box next year. Besides, his domestic policies are doing him and the republicans in anyways. Harp on that and trump will fall apart. He’ll get wrecked in the debates, as well.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Too late in the game to impeach. The only way he’s getting impeached is if something from the SDNY comes out.
The mueller report allowed the American people to officially see the corruption and shadiness that is trump and his administration. It also emphasized to the American people that yes, Russian absolutely meddled by hacking the DNC, with the main goal of helping trump get elected.
Defeat him in the ballot box next year. Besides, his domestic policies are doing him and the republicans in anyways. Harp on that and trump will fall apart. He’ll get wrecked in the debates, as well.
I think that it also is too late for impeachment, and anyways something else would have to come out to sway the senate. It would be impossible to move the senate at this point.
I bet you though that the dems are dying to find out who the other 12 criminal complaints are in the redaction's.
The only way he’s getting impeached is if something from the SDNY/Eastern District of Virginia/DC Circuit comes out.
Fixed it for you. This dude's shady, 'crime-adjacent' azz is still under the microscope for 14 referrals, only 2 of which are public. That means that the other 12 are probably inter-related and contain enough sensitive material as to stay under seal- lest the rats and cockroaches try to scurry.
As I said, the release of the Mueller report is the end of the beginning.
Now as far as impeachment is concerned: it's a dicey proposition for Donks. If they don't begin proceedings they could be considered derelict in the performance of their duties. Aim for the king and miss, you could be screwed.
Here's one aspect that hasn't been considered: All the folks predicting a catastrophic D collapse in 2020 seem to be operating under he assumption that polling numbers will be trending toward 2016, which would most definitely give the edge to the incumbent. If voter turnout and polling numbers resemble 2018, a very different picture is painted.
Individual One squeaked out the 3 'blue wall' states by a grand total of 70,000 votes. That's amazing. But understand, his victory was due to a number of factors, perhaps the most important of which was depressed voter turnout. Folk simply stayed home in droves. HRC inspired precious few, Bernie fans stayed home in protest, Blacks didn't bother to show up, either.
Fast-forward to 2018, and the landscape had changed dramatically. Energy, enthusiasm and momentum was clearly in Camp Blue. Folks came out, and flipped some 40-odd seats. All the aforementioned demographic groups came out in higher numbers, accompanied by pss'd-off suburban housewives. And that surge was in response to only 2 years of Individual One. Imagine how energized they might be after another 18 months of executive foolishness and bad behavior.
It's entirely possible that they could run proceedings AND win at the ballot box. 2018 numbers suggest a win is possible with the right candidate/message with or without impeachment.
I get why both camps feel as they do. Stakes are high; they gotta get this right to get the outcomes they want.
Now as far as impeachment is concerned: it's a dicey proposition for Donks. If they don't begin proceedings they could be considered derelict in the performance of their duties. Aim for the king and miss, you could be screwed.
The gamble, as you pointed out, is that if you don't start impeachment proceedings soon, then you are placing all of your eggs in the basket of winning in 2020..
For the democrats, the cleanest way for this to work out is to simply apply pressure, keep Trump on his heels, and then win in 2020.. avoid the who impeachment thing all together.
If they DON'T start impeachment proceedings and they DON'T defeat Trump in 2020.. then going after him for impeachment over things they knew about 2-3 years before that is just a bad look...
And as a follow up, Obama deported more people than any other president had before.
Republicans were all for amnesty when Reagan was president. I mean he gave amnesty to almost 3 million illegals. Back then they were willing to admit they wanted cheap labor. Now they just refuse to raise the minimum wage and use our own citizens for cheap labor. Problem solved!
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Former Trump transition official calls for impeachment Verret, who worked as deputy director of economic policy for Trump's presidential transition from August to October 2016, first argued for impeachment last week, saying that there was "enough" in Mueller's report to justify it.
Just another angry democrat who is part of the Deep State ... Much like George Conway - who cares what this clown thinks!
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
The economy and foreign policy alone is enough to get Trump elected for second term in 2020. If the democrats keep investigating he'll win in a landslide. I don't even think it will be close, Trump will win by very large numbers.
Iowa's longest-serving GOP lawmaker joins the Democrats because of Trump
Washington (CNN)The Iowa Legislature's longest-serving Republican announced Tuesday that because of President Donald Trump, he will be joining the Democratic Party, calling Trump "a poor example for the nation and particularly for our children."
State Rep. Andy McKean, who has served in both Iowa's Senate and House chambers, identified with the Republican Party for 35 years before Tuesday's announcement and is the longest-serving Republican in the state's Legislature today, according to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
"With the 2020 president election looming on the horizon, I feel as a Republican that I need to be able to support the standard bearer of our party. Unfortunately, that is not something I am able to do," McKean said at a news conference.
"He sets, in my opinion, a poor example for the nation and particularly for our children by personally insulting -- often in a crude and juvenile fashion -- those who disagree with him, being a bully at a time when we we are attempting to discourage bullying, his frequent disregard for the truth and his willingness to ridicule or marginalize people for their appearance, ethnicity or disability," McKean said.
McKean's district sits in two rural, blue-collar counties in Iowa -- Jones and Jackson. Because Iowa is both a perennial swing state and a battleground state, it often is used as a litmus test for the direction both parties are moving in. Though Trump has only one announced Republican challenger, Iowa could be an important state for the President to win in the general election.
McKean's defection puts the Democrats four seats away from taking control of the Iowa House, according to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
"I believe that it is just a matter of time before our party pays a heavy price for President Trump's reckless spending and shortsighted financial policies, his erratic, destabilizing foreign policy and his disregard for environmental concerns," McKean added.
"If this is the new normal, I want no part of it."
Now if we could only get Trump to follow the law and quit trying to stop everyone he's associated with to refuse to appear before congress......
That's not going to happen.. he's going to continue to defy the law.
I get the thought that if he gives them an inch, they'll take a mile.. I get that theory.
But, he says he's innocent, that his admin is innocent and that his campaign is innocent.
If that'Nos the case, keep giving the democrats everything they ask for, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. He'll basically leave them nowhere to go..
If he gives them anything they request and they find nothing, he'll have won, plain and simple.
And if that happens, nothing will stand in the way of him winning in 2020.
Now, if he's afraid of what they'll find, then he probably should continue to do what he's doing...
\
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
If he gives them anything they request and they find nothing, he'll have won, plain and simple.
I agree with everything but this... He's already won in some people's eyes.. he'll never win in a lot of other people's eyes.. and nothing he produces is really going to change that for most people. About the only thing it might accomplish is to take impeachment off the table..
If he gives them anything they request and they find nothing, he'll have won, plain and simple.
I agree with everything but this... He's already won in some people's eyes.. he'll never win in a lot of other people's eyes.. and nothing he produces is really going to change that for most people. About the only thing it might accomplish is to take impeachment off the table..
Seems fair and logical that a new law could be passed before the 2020 election requiring all candidates to provide at min, the last 4 years tax returns to be eligible to run for any federal elected position. Including POTUS. But that won’t get done with the present GOPer controlled do nothing congress.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson.
If he gives them anything they request and they find nothing, he'll have won, plain and simple.
I agree with everything but this... He's already won in some people's eyes.. he'll never win in a lot of other people's eyes.. and nothing he produces is really going to change that for most people. About the only thing it might accomplish is to take impeachment off the table..
Seems fair and logical that a new law could be passed before the 2020 election requiring all candidates to provide at min, the last 4 years tax returns to be eligible to run for any federal elected position. Including POTUS. But that won’t get done with the present GOPer controlled do nothing congress.
The GOP congress isn't going to do something like that to fly in the face of Trump, even though a lot don't like him.. even if they did, Trump would have to sign it. If he vetos it, then it has to go back for override and I doubt they would have enough votes.
I'm all about states rights.. GO STATES!!!!! I just wish they would keep this spine and challenge the federal government on a lot of other things as well.
The law that applies to situations where state and federal laws disagree is called the supremacy clause, which is part of article VI of the Constitution. The supremacy clause contains what's known as the doctrine of pre-emption, which says that the federal government wins in the case of conflicting legislation.
Now I don't think releasing tax returns is a law so it doesn't conflict with the Feds but other things are laws and spine or not, the State loses.
They do but not nearly enough. Many states have challenged SCOTUS rulings as well. We see it all the time on abortion. Limiting and restricting abortion to a great extent. Sometimes their laws even get overturned by the SCOTUS because they're so restrictive. Marijuana laws is another instance where states have taken a stand that goes against federal law.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
The law that applies to situations where state and federal laws disagree is called the supremacy clause, which is part of article VI of the Constitution. The supremacy clause contains what's known as the doctrine of pre-emption, which says that the federal government wins in the case of conflicting legislation.
Now I don't think releasing tax returns is a law so it doesn't conflict with the Feds but other things are laws and spine or not, the State loses.
Sorry.. I'm old school conservative. I'm familiar with the law, I'm also aware that conservatives USED TO BE very much in favor of states rights. I'm also not at all surprised at how quickly the current crop of "conservatives" would abandon that decades old position when it's not to the benefit of their boy..
The law that applies to situations where state and federal laws disagree is called the supremacy clause, which is part of article VI of the Constitution. The supremacy clause contains what's known as the doctrine of pre-emption, which says that the federal government wins in the case of conflicting legislation.
Now I don't think releasing tax returns is a law so it doesn't conflict with the Feds but other things are laws and spine or not, the State loses.
Sorry.. I'm old school conservative. I'm familiar with the law, I'm also aware that conservatives USED TO BE very much in favor of states rights. I'm also not at all surprised at how quickly the current crop of "conservatives" would abandon that decades old position when it's not to the benefit of their boy..
No, you are being emotional.
The Conservatives still support States Rights only the Constitution supersedes what Conservatives, Libs, and the States may want.
Its not even against the law for a PRESIDENT to use the govt to go after their POLITICAL opposition like Obama or SOETORO did via the IRS or at least the libs thought that...just sayin
If he gives them anything they request and they find nothing, he'll have won, plain and simple.
I agree with everything but this... He's already won in some people's eyes.. he'll never win in a lot of other people's eyes.. and nothing he produces is really going to change that for most people. About the only thing it might accomplish is to take impeachment off the table..
Seems fair and logical that a new law could be passed before the 2020 election requiring all candidates to provide at min, the last 4 years tax returns to be eligible to run for any federal elected position. Including POTUS. But that won’t get done with the present GOPer controlled do nothing congress.
The GOP congress isn't going to do something like that to fly in the face of Trump, even though a lot don't like him.. even if they did, Trump would have to sign it. If he vetos it, then it has to go back for override and I doubt they would have enough votes.
That’s what I said. It won’t get done with the present GOPer controlled do nothing congress.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson.
