President Trump’s legal team filed its first brief in response to the article of impeachment filed in the House. . .
New – Trump team files brief with the House, arguing lack of constitutionality and the Trump speech was protected by first amendment. Also argues the House articles were improperly drafted.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 2, 2021
. . .and they misspelled the “United” in “United States Senate” right at the beginning:
The “Unites States Senate” – the world’s greatest deliberative body. pic.twitter.com/rHaUQlzI9P
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) February 2, 2021
The entire brief, with the spelling error, was tweeted out by the former president’s @TrumpWarRoom campaign account:
???THREAD ???
The 45th President's Answer to Article of Impeachment: pic.twitter.com/SWm1h0PQk3
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) February 2, 2021
As for the substance of the brief, the former president will argue that the entire impeachment is unconstitutional because he no longer holds office:
Trump impeachment response has been released. It argues constitution “requires that a person actually hold office to be impeached” and that Trump was exercising his First Amendment right to question election results. pic.twitter.com/sc2U5r6Bed
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 2, 2021
And that he did not incite the crowd on January 6 ahead of the Capitol siege:
"It is denied that President Trump incited the crowd to engage in destructive behavior. It is denied that the phrase ‘if you don’t fight like hell you’re not going to have a country anymore’ had anything to do with the action at the Capitol as it was clearly…” 1/2
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 2, 2021
Or that he ever “intended to interfere with the counting of Electoral votes”:
“about the need to fight for election security in general, as evidenced by the recording of the speech. It is denied that President Trump intended to interfere with the counting of Electoral votes.” 2/2
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 2, 2021
Dem impeachment managers are sure to have a response for this one:
Trump's brief today: "It is denied
that President Trump intended to interfere with the counting of Electoral votes."Trump's tweet in January: "The Vice President has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors."
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) February 2, 2021
His lawyers also said the former president acted “admirably” and was, “at all times doing what he thought was in the best interests of the American people”:
Trump's impeachment brief: "It is denied he betrayed his trust as President to the manifest injury of the people of the United States. Rather, the 45th President performed admirably in his role, at all times doing what he thought was in the best interests of the American people."
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) February 2, 2021
They’re also arguing his claims of widespread voter fraud are covered by the First Amendment:
Trump team’s legal filing argues. “It is admitted that after the November election, the 45th President exercised his First Amendment right under the Constitution to express his belief that the election results were suspect”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 2, 2021
“Since with very few exceptions, under the convenient guise of Covid-19 pandemic “safeguards” states election laws and procedures were changed by local politicians or judges without the necessary approvals from state legislatures.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 2, 2021
Trump defense of unsubstantiated voter fraud claims he made cites states changing laws before election. "Insufficient evidence exists upon which a reasonable jurist could conclude that the 45th President’s statements were accurate or not, and he therefore denies they were false.”
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) February 2, 2021
Oh, boy. Who wants to tell her?
Some "legal resistance" brain titan called Jennifer Rodgers just said on CNN that "you don't have a First Amendment right to lie." Which makes me wonder what students are learning in her classroom at Columbia. Because it sure ain't the law.
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) February 2, 2021
Watch:
CNN legal analyst @JenGRodgers responds to Trump's impeachment defense brief:
"You don't have a first amendment right to lie." pic.twitter.com/dot5caiptu
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 2, 2021
To her credit, she did correct her error:
That was wrong – obviously people can lie. I meant to say Trump has no 1st Am right to call for a crime to be committed (or to call for something dangerous). Sorry for the misstatement.
— Jennifer Rodgers (@JenGRodgers) February 2, 2021
We doubt this is the last time we’ll hear this one, however.
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