Senator Lamar Alexander, one of the senators the Left was hoping would vote for witnesses in the impeachment sham, tweeted a exceptional thread explaining why he will NOT …
I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the U.S. Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense.1/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
So does this mean it’s over? Yes? Awesome.
He continued.
There is no need for more evidence to prove that the president asked Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter; he said this on television on October 3, 2019, and during his July 25, 2019, telephone call with the president of Ukraine. 2/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
There is no need for more evidence to conclude that the president withheld United States aid, at least in part, to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens; the House managers have proved this with what they call a “mountain of overwhelming evidence.” 3/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
There is no need to consider further the frivolous second article of impeachment that would remove the president for asserting his constitutional prerogative to protect confidential conversations with his close advisers. 4/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
But we thought only Democrats were allowed constitutional prerogative.
It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation. 5/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
When elected officials inappropriately interfere with such investigations, it undermines the principle of equal justice under the law. 6/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate. 7/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
The question then is not whether the president did it, but whether the United States Senate or the American people should decide what to do about what he did. 8/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
I believe that the Constitution provides that the people should make that decision in the presidential election that begins in Iowa on Monday. 9/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
This. So much this. ^
The Senate has spent nine long days considering this “mountain” of evidence, the arguments of the House managers and the president’s lawyers, their answers to senators’ questions and the House record. 10/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
Even if the House charges were true, they do not meet the Constitution’s “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” standard for an impeachable offense. 11/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
House Managers proved their case wasn’t worth more witnesses. Sorry, not sorry.
The framers believed that there should never, ever be a partisan impeachment. That is why the Constitution requires a 2/3 vote of the Senate for conviction. Yet not one House Republican voted for these articles. 12/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
If this shallow, hurried and wholly partisan impeachment were to succeed, it would rip the country apart, pouring gasoline on the fire of cultural divisions that already exist. 13/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
It would create the weapon of perpetual impeachment to be used against future presidents whenever the House of Representatives is of a different political party. 14/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
Our founding documents provide for duly elected presidents who serve with “the consent of the governed,” not at the pleasure of the United States Congress.
Let the people decide.
15/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
Of course, the Left missed the point entirely of what Alexander said here and is screeching that he’s a coward. What they should be angry about is how House Democrats handled this whole thing JUST to pander to them for votes. It’s not that Senate Republicans are scared to call witnesses, it’s that House Managers were unable to persuade them that their case was worthwhile.
It’s not.
And it never has been.
Congrats, Adam Schiff.
***
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