A Nation of Laws

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FRED WERTHEIMER’S WEEKLY NOTE | FEBRUARY 6, 2020freadshot

“Senate Republicans said yesterday that Trump is above the law and that we are a nation of men and women, not laws.”

The blind loyalty shown by Republican Senators, with the exception of Senator Mitt Romney, in acquitting President Trump yesterday tells us all that Senate Republicans are prepared to let President Trump do whatever he wants to whomever he wants, whenever he wants, with no consequences.

Senate Republicans said yesterday that Trump is above the law and that we are a nation of men and women, not laws.

This morning, Trump practiced jujitsu politics, attacking Democrats as “very dishonest and corrupt people.” Of course, Trump’s dishonest and corrupt practices were at the heart of the Impeachment case overwhelmingly proven in the House impeachment proceeding and the Senate trial.

As noted in a statement I issued yesterday, “Under McConnell’s ‘leadership,’ the Senate conducted a sham trial. […] This rigging of the Senate impeachment trial nullified its legitimacy. The House impeachment of President Trump stands. The Senate acquittal of Trump does not; it has no credibility.”

Special recognition for their votes yesterday is due to Republican Senator Romney and Democratic Senators Jones (AL) and Manchin (WV).

Romney resisted enormous partisan and peer pressures to vote based on the evidence in the case, not the politics facing him. Jones voted to convict Trump while facing a very difficult reelection fight in a Trump stronghold state. Manchin voted to convict Trump in a state that gave Trump in 2016 his largest share of the vote in any state in the country.

The message going forward is clear. The fight must continue to hold President Trump accountable for his corrupt practices, wrongful acts and reprehensible conduct.

Trump’s indefensible actions must be challenged at every step of the way. House investigations and oversight of Trump must continue and be supported.

The core American principles that this is a nation of laws and nobody is above the law must prevail over a President extraordinarily unfit to serve.

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Fred Wertheimer is the Founder and President of Democracy 21, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to strengthen our democracy and ensure the integrity and fairness of government decisions and elections. See previous Notes from Fred here.