House Democrats ask Trump to testify at his impeachment trial

By Makini Brice

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally in Dalton, Georgia, U.S., on the eve of the run-off election to decide both of Georgia's Senate seats January 4, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House of Representatives Democrats who will prosecute former President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial asked him on Thursday to testify next week about his conduct before hundreds of his supporters launched a deadly attack on the Capitol.

 

The House last month impeached Trump on a charge of inciting insurrection after he made a fiery speech urging his followers to "fight" his election defeat shortly before they stormed the Capitol, fighting with police and sending lawmakers scrambling for their safety.

 

Trump's attorneys this week rejected the charge, contending that he "fully and faithfully executed his duties as president" and asserting that his claims that his election defeat was the result of widespread fraud - which were baseless - were protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

 

"In light of your disputing these factual allegations, I write to invite you to provide testimony under oath, either before or during the Senate impeachment trial, concerning your conduct on January 6, 2021," Democratic lawmaker Jamie Raskin, the lead House impeachment manager, wrote in a letter to Trump and his attorneys.

 

Raskin asked Trump to provide testimony between Feb. 8 and 11.

 

"If you decline this invitation, we reserve any and all rights, including the right to establish at trial that your refusal to testify supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021," Raskin wrote.

 

House managers want Trump to testify under oath about a number of statements made by his lawyers, including that he never tried to subvert the certification of the election results, according to a senior aide on the impeachment team.

 

It was not immediately clear whether Trump would agree to the request. Trump's representatives and lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump's, dismissed the request as a "political ploy."

 

Asked if Trump would testify, Graham said: "I don't think that would be in anybody's interest."

 

For two months after losing his re-election bid to President Joe Biden, Trump loudly argued that he lost due to rampant electoral fraud, claims that were rejected by multiple courts and state election officials.

 

At the Jan. 6 rally, the former president urged supporters to fight before hundreds of them stormed the Capitol to try to stop the certification of Biden's victory. Five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died during the incident.

 

Trump's lawyers and most Republican senators have challenged the constitutionality of the trial. They have said the Senate does not have the authority to hear the case because Trump, also a Republican, has already left office and cannot be removed.

 

Such an argument would allow Republican senators - who hold half the seats in the chamber - to vote against Trump's conviction on procedural concerns instead of directly supporting his comments.

 

A total of 17 Republicans would need to join all 50 Democrats to convict Trump in the trial.

 

The impeachment trial of Trump, the first U.S. president to face such a trial twice, is expected to begin next week.

 

Trump's first impeachment trial, on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress after he appeared to pressure the president of Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son, resulted in an acquittal by the Senate, where Republicans held the majority at the time and denied Democrats' attempts to present witnesses.

 

(Reporting by Makini Brice and Doina Chiacu; Additional reporting by Steve Holland in Washington and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Scott Malone, Susan Heavey and Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-05

 

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18 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

Asked if Trump would testify, Graham said: "I don't think that would be in anybody's interest."

Not Trump's for sure... but will he be able to resist a high-profile, presumably televised hearing after several weeks of media withdrawal? Or will this cold-turkey will be voting for Christmas?

I wouldn't be surprised if Trump just ignores the whole thing and makes a point of taking a vacation at the time.

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

"In light of your disputing these factual allegations, I write to invite you to provide testimony under oath, either before or during the Senate impeachment trial, concerning your conduct on January 6, 2021,"

 

Great stuff .. if it's a Bible he has to swear on can we expect a bolt of lightning straight through the ceiling from the Lord above vapourising him with nothing left but smouldering shoe soles .. 

He of the forked tongue!

trump has refused to testify.

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/trump-refuses-testify-unconstitutional-impeachment-222833309.html

Of course he will testify; this is the man who demanded to face his accusers in the last impeachment........but, we'll see.

I thought the monkey trial had already been canceled, what is the point?

5 minutes ago, rgraham said:

I thought the monkey trial had already been canceled, what is the point?

No, the trial's going ahead, it's just that the monkey refuses to attend.

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Trump just ignores the whole thing and makes a point of taking a vacation at the time.

After he did that throughout the four years of his so-called presidency, you may be right. 

Unconstitutional, but no surprise as the whole thing has been declared unconstitutional by 45 Senators, thus a conviction is impossible.  Also, Trump's lawyers have said he will not testify.

 

     They might be using a bit of reverse psychology--asking him to testify knowing that he always does just the opposite.  Giving Trump more airspace is never a good thing.  

4 hours ago, onebir said:

Not Trump's for sure... but will he be able to resist a high-profile, presumably televised hearing after several weeks of media withdrawal? Or will this cold-turkey will be voting for Christmas?

Tell him that there will be a bigger crowd than for Mr Obama's last attendance at The Capitol (for whatever reason) and he will turn up!

Ahh to bad he won’t testify it would have been fun seeing him on the hot seat without the mantle of beeing potus to protect him and just watch him dig himself in deeper and deeper oh well he will bunker down in Florida and play victim 

Off topic troll comment removed.

2 hours ago, rgraham said:

I thought the monkey trial had already been canceled, what is the point?

I wondered that....but it does have a point....it will put on permanent record the vote each of the Republicans prepared to support/sanction what he did........

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

Unconstitutional, but no surprise as the whole thing has been declared unconstitutional by 45 Senators, thus a conviction is impossible.  Also, Trump's lawyers have said he will not testify.

 

Just cuz 45 Republicans say anything doesn't make it true. It has NOT been declared unconstitutional and you know it. The only thing you have right is he won't testify.

4 minutes ago, J Town said:

Just cuz 45 Republicans say anything doesn't make it true. It has NOT been declared unconstitutional and you know it. The only thing you have right is he won't testify.

I got everything right, especially "conviction is impossible" which is the bottom line.

5 hours ago, simple1 said:

trump has refused to testify.

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/trump-refuses-testify-unconstitutional-impeachment-222833309.html

 

Quote

"If you decline this invitation, we reserve any and all rights, including the right to establish at trial that your refusal to testify supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021," he added.

Apparently no 5th Amendment for impeachment hearings? AND no contempt of court (style) punishment?

 

(Seems like the framers of the Constitution lost the picture.)

3 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

I got everything right, especially "conviction is impossible" which is the bottom line.

I beg to differ to a rational human he is guilty as charged he attempted to rigg the election when that failed he groomed his (followers) for 70 + days with a false narrative then sent them to attack the congress we all saw and heard it that sir was an attempted coup now the question is has the Republican Party become so weak and intimidated to cow to this failed ex president is the question .I’d be delighted to see him purger himself on the national stage without the shield of beeing potus 

13 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

I got everything right, especially "conviction is impossible" which is the bottom line.

The bottom line is majority of Americans want him convicted. That's what really matters. 

https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2021/01/22/51-of-americans-want-trump-convicted-in-impeachment-trial-poll-says/

9 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

I got everything right, especially "conviction is impossible" which is the bottom line.

Nope. There is no decision on the constitutionality of this trial. If it was, then 45's clown circus wouldn't be arguing it. Conviction is most unlikely, given the Republican senate is crooked as a dog's hind leg. Only thing you got right is he won't testify, though given his penchant for lying, you may even be wrong on that point.

Just now, Eric Loh said:

The bottom line is majority of Americans want him convicted. That's what really matters. 

https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2021/01/22/51-of-americans-want-trump-convicted-in-impeachment-trial-poll-says/

Unfortunately, those crooked Republicans who will ultimately make the decision no longer represent the people.

18 minutes ago, onebir said:

 

Apparently no 5th Amendment for impeachment hearings? AND no contempt of court (style) punishment?

 

(Seems like the framers of the Constitution lost the picture.)

 

From lessons learnt from the trump presidency one would expect amendments to the Constitution, yet personally I expect the republicans to again fail to live up to the Oath of Office; sadly the ignoramuses will carry on supporting them.

2 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Unconstitutional, but no surprise as the whole thing has been declared unconstitutional by 45 Senators, thus a conviction is impossible.  Also, Trump's lawyers have said he will not testify.

 

Senators have no power to rule on constitutionality. I assume you knew that already because its so basic.

Well he won't testify which is what any lawyer would have advised given the weakness of his case and his tendency to constantly lie.

But keep in mind an impeachment case is not a criminal case.

In non criminal cases refusal to testify is allowed to be seen by jurors as the accused having something to hide.

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Well he won't testify which is what any lawyer would have advised given the weakness of his case and his tendency to constantly lie.

But keep in mind an impeachment case is not a criminal case.

In non criminal cases refusal to testify is allowed to be seen by jurors as the accused having something to hide.

I don't think his lawyers, as second-rate as they may be, would allow him to be placed under oath.  He faced similar issues with the Mueller investigation.  His lawyers back then refused to allow him to be questioned under oath knowing that he would likely perjure himself.  Repeatedly.

 

To Trump, an oath to tell the truth is like garlic or holy water to a vampire.

4 hours ago, rgraham said:

I thought the monkey trial had already been canceled, what is the point?

 

I guess the point is sane and rational people do not want to give a POTUS the ability to do whatever he wants in the last two weeks of his term without any possibility of punishment.

 

45 tried to overthrow a fair democratic election, and he incited his base to attack members of Congress who were merely following the Constitution and doing their job.

 

There MUST be punishment for such treasonous and egregious behavior, lest every POTUS who loses tries the same nonsense.

 

Of course the traitors and cowards in the (R) Senate will not convict, but it is equally important to get them on the record as being okay with inciting insurrection and terrorism against the US.

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Senators have no power to rule on constitutionality. I assume you knew that already because its so basic.

The vote was to table the trial until the Constitutionality was discussed. 

Just now, earlinclaifornia said:

The vote was to table the trial until the Constitutionality was discussed. 

The real reason was to inflate a fake excuse to acquit the  blatantly guilty Mr. trump. The charge is inciting an insurrection. Most of the Republicans are too chicken to consider that charge directly.