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Impeach and Remove

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Will Baude is a Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School. He is on Twitter @WilliamBaude .

Samuel Bray is a Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Law School.

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  1. Ben_

    Congrats on that. You all have each other’s approval. That’s what matters: esteem within your social circles.

    1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

      Vividly expressed,
      the silence of a coward;
      the proprietor

    2. Alpheus W Drinkwater

      Horrors! A blogger expressed an opinion!

      1. Ben_

        You forgot to offer kudos. Kudos are a must.

    3. Dr. Ed 2

      The middle shall cease to hold…

  2. Brett Bellmore

    You’re agreeing with him on being insane?

    He’s going to be impeached and removed, in 2 weeks before leaving office, for calling a political rally at which a tiny fraction of a percent of the participants broke the law? Possibly even as part of a false flag operation?

    You don’t see any need to actually demonstrate that Trump told them to commit the crime? That’s just somehow intuitively obvious to you?

    And the point of this exercise is just, I assume, so that he can’t run for office in 2022 or 2024?

    Seriously, you’re mad.

    I’m all in favor of prosecuting the people who actually attacked and/or entered the Capitol buildings, but barring some kind of evidence that Trump actually directed them to commit this crime, that’s madness.

    1. Ben_

      Because Orange Man Bad.

      1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

        Open wider. Your betters are no longer going to appease our society’s disaffected right-wing losers.

        1. Brett Bellmore

          You’d think somebody as fond of oral rape fantasies as you would reflect on the implications of teeth.

          1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

            I like shoving progress down conservative throats.

            I blame my education, my character, and the greatness of the American people, who have been prevailing against successive waves of ignorant, intolerant, backward jerks throughout our history.

            The great thing about America is that our bigots — the political ancestors of today’s Republicans, who went after Italians, blacks, Jews, women, the Irish, gays, Asians, Hispanics, Muslims, agnostics, eastern Europeans, other Asians, atheists, other Hispanics, and others — never win, not over time. Our better citizens stomp the clingers, every time.

            You will be stomped, too, Brett. Until you are replaced. By your betters.

            1. Dr. Ed 2

              Kirkland, I don’t say this lightly:

              A: Read the Turner Diaries. (It’s easier to do if you aren’t sober.)
              B: Realize that there are people who actually believe that garbage.

              1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

                I am not in the market for pointers from the clinger followers of this shambling right-wing blog. Save your tips for your fellow deplorables.

              2. Brett Bellmore

                Unintended Consequences was a better book, seriously. Unrealistically optimistic, though.

      2. Orbital Mechanic

        Not to Ben_: Posting “Orange Man Bad” does not convey any impression of political probity or sophistication that you seem to think it does. Quite the opposite. Just thought you should know no need to thank me.

        1. Michael P

          You are no rocket scientist, that’s for sure, defending the sentiment that Orange Man Bad.

          1. De Oppresso Liber

            The double down! Bold move, let’s see how this plays out…

            1. NOVA Lawyer

              Michael P, rocket scientist! Seen here doing his best impression of Twelveinch’s reading comprehension.

              1. TwelveInchPianist

                I’m so sorry you can’t read more than a couple of sentences into a document, NOVA.

    2. Toranth

      They’re so convinced that his crimes are so obvious, they cannot actual name one.

      But NPCs gonna NPC, right to the end.

      1. Dude, it’s literally the post before this one.

        1. Brett Bellmore

          As I pointed out down there: Identified a crime, but didn’t identify Trump as the perpetrator.

        2. Toranth

          No, not one of these prudish knee-jerk posts has actually identified a specific crime that Trump supposedly committed.
          There’s a lot of vague insinuations, but nothing the writers can actually point to. And nothing you can point to, either.

          1. Brett Bellmore

            He incited them to riot by telling them to be peaceful, as near as I can figure it out.

            No, seriously, he dared to dispute the election and call a rally in D.C., and this supposedly made an attack on the Capitol buildings so inevitable that he must have intended it, even though it neatly put an end to all his efforts to reverse the election outcome.

            I’m thinking this may have been a Reichstag fire, only it wasn’t Trump who set it.

    3. Noscitur a sociis

      Even if Trump were entirely blameless in precipitating the riot (he’s not), his response in the aftermath would be a perfectly valid basis for impeachment.

      I tend to think it’s not worth it, and it certainly isn’t going to happen regardless of what I think about it, but it certainly has some merit.

      1. Brett Bellmore

        You’d impeach him for telling the crowd that they should peacefully go home?

        1. Michael P

          They would impeach him for being orange. In fact, they essentially already did.

        2. Noscitur a sociis

          Even you can’t possibly be that dense.

          1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

            Sure he could. The autism, the chemotherapy, the disaffected right-wing nuttery, the anti-social seething . . .

            1. Brett Bellmore

              That’s high functioning autism to you, Rev. Even with chemo brain, I’m still a couple sigma above average. And as for seething, I’m generally so chill people use me to cool drinks.

      2. M L

        Can you explain? I saw he was urging people to be peaceful and then to go home, so I probably missed something.

        1. Josh R

          “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from the great patriots who have been badly and unfairly treated for so long. Go home in love & in peace. Remember this day forever!”

          The “be peaceful and then go home” part was an afterthought.

          1. M L

            Actually it was before. So in your mind how does this compare to democrats defense of BLM riots, arson, and murders?

            1. Noscitur a sociis

              I’d be fine with impeaching them too.

              1. M L

                *high five*,

            2. Josh R

              Give me some quotes and I will do so.

      3. Ben_

        “High crimes” means we don’t like his response

    4. Josh R

      A “high crime” need not be punishable in criminal law, but rather something that threatens the proper functioning of our democracy. Non-stop lying to your political base that you lost a rigged election to the point they storm the Capitol qualifies.

      1. Brett Bellmore

        OK, technically, you can impeach over a bad comb over. That doesn’t make impeaching over a bad comb over defensible!

    5. AmosArch

      You stuffy establishment ‘rightleaning’/’libertarian’ types are so amusing. You’re so inured and comfortable in your ordained place as the selfappointed representative of an old out of touch punching bag loser brand of establishment conservatism in a society careening toward the left that you will fight tooth and nail against anyone who threatens to shake things up. Let alone revitalize the right

      You want to remain ensconced comfortable in your endowed chair and fat pension as a donothing presiding over a decaying controlled irrelevant opposition. You want to sit back and smile as the Democrats congratulate you once again for your gracious defeat. Instead of leading a dynamic movement against the ideology that actually has near total control of almost all the major institutions in our society and poses the most threat to the republic you devote yourself to preventing short term disruption to your little ordered life. You are at best unbelievably incompetent, or more likely a fellow traveler of the Left.

      1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

        Quit whining, you half-educated bigot.

      2. Noscitur a sociis

        Thanks to Trump, we have four Democrat senators from Arizona and Georgia.

        “Shak[ing] things up” doesn’t seem to have produced much of a victory, nor is evidence of competence much to be seen on Team Trump.

    6. Tell it to famous [checks notes] libtard Liz Cheney: https://twitter.com/RepLizCheney/status/1346976173230878720

      1. Allutz

        This, but unironically.

        Liz Cheney is your pull? Lol. She was gonna get primaried before this all played out.

        1. Well, that’s the long-term fun of all of this: Everyone to the left of Genghis Khan is going to get primaried, which is how the Democrats are going to hang on to power in 2022 and possibly longer.

    7. Aunt Teefah

      “Possibly part of a false flag operation”

      Absolute clown shit.

    8. David Nieporent

      I know this isn’t politically correct to ask, but are you retarded, Brett? Why are you asking for “evidence” and “demonstrations” when his words are on video?

      It’s bad enough when you guys did that about Ukraine even after we had the transcript of his call — but at least the full story of Trump’s criminality with respect to Ukraine did involve the actions of some of Trump’s agents (like Rudy and Sondland and such) as well. But here everything is based on what he has publicly said.

      1. Toranth

        Then cite exactly what Trump did, and exactly what crime it was.

        You haven’t done that, nor has any of the other posters.

      2. Brett Bellmore

        Like Toranth said, cite exactly what Trump said that you consider inciting this, and consider if you want to actually generalize that definition of incitement.

        Because if anything Trump said was incitement, there are some urban Mayors who need to check into the greybar hotel, stat.

  3. Bob from Ohio

    More people who want weeks of escalated violence instead of one day.

    1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

      Toe the line established by your betters, clingers, or you will wish you had.

      I will be content either way. I don’t mind seeing bigots get what they deserve.

  4. loki13

    Trump supporters are thugs. Same as it ever was.

    What a sad and shameful day. My thoughts go out to our legislators and the law enforcement under siege by Trumpists.

    1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

      Will the Republicans win another presidential election during the next generation? I make it 50-50.

      1. BadLib

        And what were you predicting when Obama won? I recall many over at a well known progressive web site (think “orange”) making similar statements (even to the point of declaring that the “GOP is dead” while pontificating as to how Obama was going to play “twelve dimensional chess” – which apparently included a key strategy of losing the House in the first mid-terms) – perhaps one of them was you.

        In reality, the odds of a Republican winning the next POTUS election probably went up with the Georgia Senate election results. Now, the Democrats own Washington (and, I assume, Schumer will get rid of the legislative filibuster to make sure that’s true) — and will be accountable for everything in the next two years (at least).

        The Democrats need the vote of every Democratic Senator and almost every Democratic Representative to even begin to follow through on almost any of Biden’s promises. However, some of those Democratic Senators and Representatives are from purple states and districts and that mean that bills will need to be watered down to get the necessary support. This will outrage the progressives and lead to yet more of a rift in the Democratic party. Expect Biden (or, more likely, Harris) to face a significant primary challenge for the 2024 election from “the one true progressive”. That challenge, while likely unsuccessful, will require Biden/Harris to have “run to the left” during primary season and the Republican POTUS nominee will take advantage of that. Note that, perhaps in spite of your dreams, Trump won’t be the Republican nominee — the party has seriously had enough of his ineffectiveness but not the core concepts he allegedly was trying to implement – such as controlling illegal immigration and establishing a judiciary which respects the Constitution and statutory law.

        So, don’t get your hopes up for a “new world order” under the Biden administration.

        1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

          Just not enough bigots, uneducated hayseeds, and superstitious knuckle-draggers left in America to keep Republicans competitive outside of the receding, desolate rural and southern backwaters. Know your place, loser.

    2. SundanceInGlentucky

      My thoughts go to law enforcement – as in “how could they be so totally incompetent and ill-prepared that they allowed a bunch of rednecks to take over the capital building?”

      1. loki13

        Great question.

        Unfortunately, I think the answer likely starts with … “But that can’t happen here.”

        1. I think the answer likely starts with “Those are some very fine white people…”

          1. Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland

            The Trump administration hasn’t been good at anything worthwhile, including protecting our Capitol today.

            Two more weeks, clingers. Then, the reckoning begins. The only relevance you will have in the federal government will be that which is permitted by your betters.

          2. Toranth

            You, too, are a fine person, as your repeated use of that lie shows.

        2. shawn_dude

          Find some images of the George Floyd protests in DC. You’ll see armed National Guards ringing public buildings and monuments while the BLM protesters sit peacefully outside. Or the infamous moment that Barr ordered the clearing of the plaza so Trump could take his photo in front of a church.

          What’s the difference between the George Floyd protesters and the Patriots(tm) breaking into the Capital building and driving Congress out? Why did the anti-racists greet a strong show of force while the mobs of armed white guys in armor with a history of angry armed protest seem to have surprised everyone?

        3. Dr. Ed 2

          More like they won’t do it — only the left does.

      2. Allutz

        Its the corrupt post-Vietnam protest policing mindset. You aren’t allowed to draw a line and shoot people who cross it because fee fees

  5. DWB

    The people have entered the people’s house — mostly peaceful?

    1. shawn_dude

      Armed and armored, in massive numbers, breaking down doors and windows and driving the elected officials out on fear for their lives kinda “peaceful”

      1. DWB

        I have it on good authority that looting/burning buildings and attacking cops is “mostly peaceful.” Have I been lied to?

      2. Brett Bellmore

        Are we talking about a different event? Because the one I saw involved relatively few people, very few of whom wore anything like armor.

  6. Orbital Mechanic

    Taking down the flag of the United States and running up a Trump Flag in its place.

    Flagging the white nationalist finger gesture for each other’s cameras.

    Breaking windows and other vandalism in the Capitol building.

    To Trump supporters this is patriotism. If a bunch of non-white (and specifically black) citizens did all this a good number of them would be dead now and Parler would be have raging calls for more deaths to show them who is boss.

    Welcome to this world.

    Oh, BTW my wife’s QAnon family member just texted her that all of this rioting is actually “antifa” in disguise. Right.

    1. Noscitur a sociis

      Dr. Ed is way ahead of you on that last point.

  7. Congratulations. You have just lost the right to call yourself “reason”. You are insane.

    And I have had enough of your insanity. So long, farewell, au revoir, auf weidersehen.

    1. De Oppresso Liber

      Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

    2. ah....Clem

      Don’t let the door hit you…

  8. Armchair Lawyer

    On what grounds?

    Asking for a peaceful protest?

  9. chrisare

    Serious question: for what? Appealing to protestors to be peaceful?

    1. Brett Bellmore

      It was a “dog whistle”: The clear implication was to be mostly peaceful.

      Forget it, they’ve gone mad.

      1. loki13

        Sure Brett!

        Trumpists, egged on by their Mad King’s ego and delusions, attacked the Capitol. And the Mad King abdicates his responsibility, so Mike Pence (thenkfully) coordinates security with the DoD and national guard.

        But it’s the people who are viewing this with sadness and dismay that are mad?

        Okay then.

        1. De Oppresso Liber

          But remember, they are NOT engaged in magical thinking. They are NOT taking the word of Trump on faith alone. They are NOT A CULT.

          They are just concerned citizens who want better audits of our elections. Just adults who lowered the american flag to fly the Trump flag over the capitol building.

      2. Ben_

        they’ve gone mad

        Short trip.

        I think they saw all the fun all the other guys were having tearing it up during impeachment a year ago and wanted to get a little of that for themselves.

  10. Bored Lawyer

    No point to impeach at this late date, and it won’t pass anyway.

    Censure, yes. Strong censure.

    1. Sebastian Cremmington

      Considering many educated Americans actually believe Trump’s lies…removal would only make things worse. Trump is the only one that can stop this and he will not stop his reckless behavior no matter how much it damages America. I am not sure what the solution is because America has devolved into tribalism. Maybe we could assign everyone to be either an Alabama fan or Auburn fan and hope humans tribal tendencies are satisfied by being college football fans??

      1. Bob from Ohio

        “Auburn fan”

        We already have a coach for them in the Senate.

  11. GoBlue 2

    For the love of god, use this opportunity to rein in executive power!

    1. Bored Lawyer

      Not happening. The other side loves Executive power. When their side uses it. Remember “I’ve got a pen, and I’ve got a phone?”

  12. DWB

    The power to govern can be revoked at the will of the governed.

    1. loki13

      Yes. We call those elections in this country.

      The minority of people in a country don’t get to violently and thuggishly exert their will on the majority.

      1. DWB

        King George would like a word with you.

        1. loki13

          Did we have elections back then?

          Maybe that’s not a very clever point.

          Or maybe you should really reflect on the fact that you are supporting armed insurrection against your own Democratic Republic. And the reason is because … you are infatuated with Trump.

          I mean … announcing you’re a traitorous scumbag is one thing, but selling out for Trump? That’s not even 20 pieces of silver buddy.

          1. DWB

            You assume much, don’t you. Trump was but the most useful middle finger available.

            And considering the RAPE of the constitution that Democrats have been engaged in since Dred Scott — it is YOU and those you support who are traitors.

            I abhor violence, so let us dissolve the ties peacefully — the present is INTOLERABLE.

            1. loki13

              Well, I appreciate the all-caps.

              Unfortunately you’re a Trumpist. And the thing about Trump is he never pays his debts.

              So … hope you’re not holding your breath for those 20 piece of silver. Stabbed your country in the back, and all you’re going to get for it is the realization that youce been conned.

              Meanwhile, the real Patriots will be left to pick up the pieces of your tantrum.

              1. DWB

                Blah, blah, blah …

                1. loki13

                  I really thought that a domestic terrorist like you would have a more pithy comeback!

                  Shame.

                  Let me know how that all-caps thing works for you! 🙂

                  1. Hank Ferrous

                    ‘Domestic terrorist.’ Right, that and insurrectionist are the approved smears your in-group uses. Bias and ignorance don’t help your arguments.

          2. grb

            Let’s take a moment to stand in someone’s shoes. I’ll go first :

            (1) loki13’s “…..selling out for Trump? That’s not even 20 pieces of silver buddy” has me considering Vice President Pence. The poor SOB had the look of a well-beaten cur these past four years, as he pawned away every last trace of integrity to be Trump’s dog. Today his master casually shivved him in the back (via tweet of course) as reward for years of servile loyalty.

            (2) The Georgia election returns should have Trumptards standing in Putin’s shoes. Occasionally one of them would ask why the Russian leader wanted Donald Trump as president anyway. (Apparently they couldn’t work out so simple a problem by themselves) Well today even they should see : Watching Trump sabotage the Republican Party thru blind idiotic dumpster-fire clown-show bungling gives a massive hint why Putin wanted Trump in the Oval Office.

            I’m bet even the most doggishly servile Trump supporter gets it now…

      2. Aktenberg78

        No, instead, the minority get to subvert the process by importing tens of millions of illiterate mestizos to vote for their policies.

        1. shawn_dude

          Minority? The 80 million that voted for Biden are the “minority?!”

          Oh, and hey, racism from a Trump supporter. Must be [pick any day on the calendar] day!

          1. Aktenberg78

            Look up the statistics and see when the last time a democrat party presidential candidate has won the white vote.

            You’ll see that Democrats need the votes of the third worlders and their descendants they’ve imported.

  13. captcrisis

    Good for you!

  14. Jimmy the Dane

    On what grounds would you impeach Trump? Telling mostly peaceful protesters to go home? Not abridging the First Amendment rights of people to protest in the nation’s capital? Using his First Amendment right to continue questioning the results of a shady election? Pure guilt by association?

    1. Michael P

      He hurt their feelings.

      1. Jimmy the Dane

        If anyone ought to be prosecuted out of this whole affair it should be the left that has fomented all of this violence for the last four years.

  15. The empirical data clearly establishes that these open barn doors have indeed caused the loss of equus and aequitas.

    Mr. D.

  16. TwelveInchPianist

    I heard that it was a festival-like atmosphere inside the Capitol.

    1. Ben_

      Oooo, a deep cut

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