Day 1,046: Trump refuses to defend himself during impeachment inquiry

Reveals, yet again, how often he and GOP flip-flop and lie on impeachment

Impeachment procedures are similar to that of indictments in criminal law. The House of Representatives (the grand jury) hears potential wrongdoing and decides if articles of impeachment (formal charges of a crime or crimes) are warranted.

Typically, during the indictment stage, a prosecutor will show their evidence, and in essence say to the grand jury, ‘here’s what we can prove and how, and when we can prove these allegations with this evidence, the accused is guilty.’ If the grand jury indicts, prosecutors lay out their case against the defendant at trial and the accused has a defense.

However, during impeachment, a president has an expanded ability to participate during the inquiry itself, if they so choose. Donald Trump — despite complaining for many weeks that he isn’t allowed to put on a defense — is choosing to forgo that option this week, when a group of constitutional scholars and law professors will discuss the impeachment procedures and potential charges against Trump. Instead, Trump will rely on a group of belligerents to mount some semblance of a defense for him.

The White House informed House Democrats on Sunday that it will not participate in the Judiciary Committee’s first impeachment hearing, excoriating Democrats’ impeachment inquiry as a “baseless” and “partisan” exercise in scathing five-page letter to the panel’s chairman.

The decision indicates that President Donald Trump has listened to his allies and some congressional Republicans who argued that a White House presence at the hearing would validate a process they have harangued as illegitimate and partisan.

It also means Trump will lean heavily on his closest GOP allies on the panel — including Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, John Ratcliffe of Texas and Matt Gaetz of Florida — to mount an impeachment defense during the Judiciary panel’s first hearing on Wednesday featuring legal scholars.

This reveals, yet again, the farcical stances that Trump and Republicans have taken during the impeachment inquiry and how quickly their talking points have changed when confronted.

• Republicans and Trump said there was nothing wrong with Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.
• Then, transcripts were released with damning comments by Trump. Moreover, numerous reports indicated that many aides were concerned about Trump’s dealings.
• Republicans said his dealings with Ukraine were still fine because there was no quid pro quo.
• Then, when transcripts, testimony and other evidence revealed there was a quid pro quo/extortion scheme afoot, Republicans said that it didn’t matter.
• Republicans said Trump wanted to investigate corruption, and was entitled to do that.
• Then, when the various conversations with the Ukrainian president revealed no discussions about corruption, Republicans mostly abandoned that talking point.
• Republicans decried the impeachment inquiry as illegitimate because there was no House-wide vote.
• Then, when a federal court said a House-wide vote was unnecessary and Democrats held one anyway, Republicans said the inquiry was still a sham.
• Republicans and Trump have complained the identity of the whistleblower should be revealed and they should testify.
• Then, all of the whistleblower’s allegations have been backed up by other witnesses, including ones directly aware of Trump’s actions.
• Republicans complained that the evidence was all hearsay evidence (despite some transcripts already having been released by the White House).
• Then, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland testified about his direct interactions with Trump and how it was obvious during their conversations that Trump wanted to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden’s family. Moreover, the White House has blocked others, such as Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney from testifying.
• Republicans and Trump complained that Democrats wouldn’t let Republicans call witness at hearings.
• Then, Democrats revealed they did let the Republicans call numerous witnesses at hearings.
• Republicans and Trump decried the entire process as illegitimate because Trump couldn’t participate.
• Then, Trump blocked many of his aides from testifying and is now refusing to attend hearings when invited.

Trump and the Republicans have seen their talking points blow up in their faces multiple times per week. Trump’s refusal to participate in hearings is even more evidence of that.

1,046 days in, 416 to go

Follow us on Twitter at @TrumpTimer