Tom Toles for January 26, 2020

So far, we’ve seen the defense pushing the idea (false) that he’s done nothing that’s illegal or improper (clearly not true)… and that there was no quid pro quo because some in the Ukraine didn’t know he was demanding something in return for the aid package. But this is exactly equivalent to saying “there was no crime because they didn’t know I was acting in a criminal fashion.” This is specious at best.

The perfect strategy:

Obstruct all witnesses and evidence and then offer a defense that there are no witnesses or evidence.

Like the guy who murders his parents and throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan.

Two big flaws:

1. The Republicans are making the best case for why we need more witnesses and evidence. And if the additional witnesses and evidence were exculpatory, it would be Trump himself demanding that they be brought forward. It is not the innocent who obstruct evidence that could exonerate them.

2. Despite all the obstruction, and even though we do need to hear from the witnesses and evidence being withheld, there already are a number of FIRST HAND (despite the Republican lies to the contrary) witnesses who have already provided extensive evidence.

And the fact remains: every person who claims Trump is innocent refuses to testify and say it under oath; every person willing to testify under oath says Trump is guilty.

Hear no evil, seat no evil?

I love how Trump confessed to having committed crimes while Davos by saying he had all the evidence.

“We’re not suppressing witless-es! We’ve got all the best witless testimony that laundered Russian mob money can buy! Unless they say anything bad, and then I’ve never heard of them.”

If he hasn’t done anything wrong then he should want witnesses and evidence to support that claim.

Info Dudn’t Help th’ Trumpites – {limerick}

There ain’t no doc-u-ment

which’d give ‘im a com-pli-ment, -

- and there ain’t no witness

who sees any fitness

in Trump to be prez-i-dent.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Well, nothing left to do but sweep up the bodies!!

If only the We The People had representatives in the Senate like the parties have.

Who knows what Horton will hatch from those legs?

The Party of Law & Order has become the Party of Obstruction of Justice. Sad. Truly sad.

The spawns of the devil….

A (terribly crude) imitation of “Horton Hatches the Egg”

!Extreme apology offered to Dr. Seuss and his fans!

.

“Donnie Hatches His Plots”

Sighed Donnie, a lazy lout hatching his plots,

“I’m tired, and I’m sore, and I’ve sure got the hots

For a top-heavy porn star or two!

And my bone spurs are rubbing inside of my shoe!

Who knew this job was such constant work?

I was happier as a free-lancing, fun-loving media jerk.

If I had my druthers, I’d much rather be playing

Golf and at Mar-a-Lago be staying.”

.

So to spice up his life he built on his base

Of conservative sheep stock seasoned with mace

And spices like hot pepper and sage

To cause mass salivation of rage.

Emboldened by success at many rowdy rallies,

He went far afield on unconstitutional sallies.

.

And thus time and again he did authority usurp.

But the elephant birds in the Senate did chirp,

“We like what you say, no matter how bent,

We’ll support your gross crimes one thousand percent!”

(With math skills like that,

No wonder the country is where it’s at.)

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Thus down in the mud swirls this impeachment bout …

What poisons will in the end hatch out?

The real tragedy here is that so many people just accept this.

…and the surprise is? Drumpf’s been getting away with these tactics his entire life.

70 % of the country is demanding witnesses and a fair trial and still the Repugs refuse to listen. So much for representative government.

Save AMERICA from THE TRAITORS!!! VOTE BLUE!!!

First we have to hear the Repubs whine about hearing the same things over and over while they do their best to help Trump block additional testimony and documents. Then we have to hear about the feigned shock from Susan Collins because Nadler said they Repubs are covering up for Trump so she passes a note to Justice Roberts; she is really working on her excuses for her inevitable flip after she said she would support additional witnesses. Now we have a chorus of Repubs that are pretending to be appalled that Schiff repeated the “head on a pike” threat from Trump reported by CBS. Have they listened to what Trump says on a regular basis?

And this is how justice dies. Some Republicans are bringing Trump-brand rope for the lynching, others are thundering in their applause of the process being enacted in the Senate.

Trump has even said that he is winning because he has all the information! Blatant confession to withholding evidence. And his base sees that at a virtue…

For this trial, with all due respect for Australia, he should be a kangaroo rather than an elephant.

“He prefers nitwitnesses.”

Aka “witlesses”, aka Senators… especially Republican ones.

“Why on earth would we admit evidence/testimony that could be prejudicial to our cause?” – The Republikkklans

They mean to wear us down, until we lose all will to live.

By showing their contempt for the impeachment trial, the GOPig senators are showing their contempt for the American people. Back atcha, senators…

A common GOP refrain (aside from the Barr DoJ’s assertion that House subpoenas have no force whatever) has been “We could ignore the subpoenas because the process was invalid. The house did not vote to authorize it first.”

I don’t find any justification in the constitution for that. No law I’ve heard anyone cite. trump’s lawyers in the house yesterday said it came from precedent of the last 2 impeachments. But the house judiciary committee investigated Nixon for over 3 months before the house vote as far as I can find out. Whether they issued subpoenas or not in that period I don’t know.

But their whole argument seems bs

Franklin told the men of old

“We’re making you a nation.”

Now we’re screwed as we can be

Livin’ in kakistocracy!

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DFT and GOP

Love maladministration

There’s no doubt they’re making out

Livin’ in kakistocracy!

.

[bridge]

He panders to the racial fears

And hatred of his base

He’s bringing back our basest years

To shove them in our face

.

Eric, Junior, and Ivanka

All hate nepotism

But they profit handsomely

Livin’ in kakistrocacy!

.

Donald poses with his wife

Pretending there’s no schism

She sure seems to loathe her life

Livin’ in kakistrocracy

.

[bridge]

He babbles like a weenie,

Slurs even simple words

He acts like Mussolini

Heilin’ Hitler for his herds

.

Donald talks in greasy squawks

That show no education

Flinging poo and fourth-rate woo

Livin’ in kakistrocracy

.

Folks he hires and often fires

Are temps, sans confirmation

Lacking all ability

Livin’ in kakistocracy

.

[bridge]

He says he loves the USA

He works for free, we hear

But adding up his golf trips, they

Cost millions every year

.

Loves the Gang and speaks their slang

With violence his fixation

Worships jerks who rule by fear

Livin’ in kakistocracy

.

This slimy blot has now been caught

We have the information.

Gops decree he’ll get off free

Livin’ in kakistrocracy

.

Loves to tweet, on gilded seat,

His bile and indignation

Time to flush this slimy slush

And live in a democracy!

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[ttto: Doin’ What Comes Naturally, by Israel Baline]

Anti democratic Russian loving Republican rats want everything their way.

Tяцmp & Co. have made America the biggest loser. But Putin WINS! So does the ISIS, China, North Korea, and some nasty others. So much winning!

The ONE comment on this thread implying that Trump will get off:

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“thought the house had an airtight case”

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You’ll notice NO claims that the evidence is false, even a little bit.

NO claims that Trump did not commit what is alleged.

ONLY that Trump will get off despite his guilt.

All patriots praise the facts quite a lot

But Mitch and his fellow felons do NOT

They hate and they fear this “reality”

Witnesses, documents, from sea to sea

So they’ll supress all they find

And say, “Never mind”

No chance to be put behind bars for them thars!