Trumps Third Impeachment

Dear Editor,

The Jan. 6 hearings are an attempt to re-litigate a failed impeachment close to an election.  A former Mark Meadows staffer is being paraded around like a smoking gun.  After evaluation these accusations show no new information and a lot of spin.

For example, several aides requested presidential pardons.  This is supposed to be proof of guilt.  However, after four years of merciless politically motivated attacks against Trump supporters and one failed impeachment, at the time, it was a logical request.  During his term, Trump fought against false opposition allegations.  His supporters were continually attacked and harassed openly.  A pardon would shield staff from likely politically motivated investigations.  Also, remember, no pardon was ever given.  Trump is being accused of being asked for a pardon.

Trump may have told Secret Service to allow armed supporters into his speech.  Their main purpose is to protect the president.  It isn’t to protect the Capitol Building.  He is being accused of telling the Secret Service to let armed supporters into the area around his speech.  No “weapons” were used in the Capitol breach.  If Trump had told the Capitol security to let his armed supporters into the building, the committee might have a case.  Demanding his supporters have access to his speech proves nothing.  Several new articles reported “Trump’s Defense Department offered troops to protect supporters”…because he did not intend nor encourage them to assault the Capitol.

Several aides advised against challenging the election as potentially illegal.  However, several advised it was perfectly legal.  There is little precedent on how to challenge election results at this level.  There wasn’t precedent for mass COVID restrictions or for local jurisdictions to ignore state election laws due to COVID.  At the same time, the Constitution created electors and allowed legislators to challenge votes.  It didn’t do this for mere “formality.”  The existence of these processes implies that the authors intended relief from vote manipulation.  We know that several local election officials have already been punished for knowingly violating state elections laws.  In the end, the president is being accused of disagreeing with his aide’s advice.  He is being punished for his aides disagreeing on a legal issue that have no precedent.

The president wished the event would make him look strong.  All politicians schedule events to make themselves look good.  The president smiled when the vice president was threatened by supporters.  He smiles a lot.

Alan Burke