“The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinion.” — James Russell Lowell, 1871
President Donald Trump has added two defense lawyers to his team as he faces the senate impeachment trial.He added Alan Dershowitz, who defended O.J. Simpson in the trial about the murders of Simpson’s wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. Dershowitz also represented Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood sleazebag. Now, in a kind of odd trifecta, he’s representing Donald Trump in a Senate impeachment trial.
The other new attorney is Ken Starr. I wrote about him some time ago (It can be found under Basura of Townbroadcast archives).
You probably remember Starr as the man who prosecuted President Bill Clinton, resulting in an impeachment, but not a decision to remove in the Senate trial. Starr started his investigation into a property deal, which never came to fruition, and ended up in a lengthy, perhaps voyeuristic look, at Clinton’s dalliance with a young intern, Monica Lewinsky. Clinton denied having “sex with that woman, Monica Lewinsky”, and was impeached for lying.
Loyal Republican Linda Tripp advised Monica not to clean the blue dress, which purportedly bore evidence of presidential semen. Apparently, Clinton thought that plausible. Starr’s process cost taxpayers $42 million. I know that sounds like a lot.
Sometime later we saw Ken Starr as the president of Baylor University, the largest Baptist school in the nation. During his tenure there, Starr chose to not act to sanction football players accused of sexual abuse of Baylor coeds.
One of the football players, Sam Ukwuanchu, was convicted of a sex crime, and was sentenced to six months in jail. Another Baylor football player, Tevin Elliott, was convicted of a forcible rape and sentenced to 20 years in prison. At least six women came forward to allege sexual abuse by football players at Baylor University. The Board of Regents of Baylor University, in their Finding of Facts Report, stated that “Baylor University looked the other way when BU football players were accused of, and sometimes convicted, of sex crimes.”
I don’t know if the Spirit of Forgiveness was working for Starr – after all, it is a religious school — or if he was wanting a good football team, no matter what. The fallout was that Starr was removed from his role of president of Baylor University, though the school, perhaps in their own show of forgiveness, kept him on in another capacity.
Now Starr will be working to defend Trump for his actions in withholding millions of aid to Ukraine, unless President Zelensky would do him a favor. He got caught in this action, and quickly reversed course. Then he mounted a huge coverup. Trump has expressly forbidden people like Mick Mulvaney, Rick Perry, and many others from providing testimony in either the House of Representatives inquiry or the Senate trial.
The Republican Senate actually appears poised to hold the impeachment trial without witnesses, or documents. Can they be that brazen, to hold a trial without evidence? You wouldn’t think so, but stay tuned. The Republicans have been very forthright about desiring to have a trial without evidence. But 71% of the American public, including a majority of Republicans, want witnesses and documents as part of the senate trial.
In any case, the Repubs, even with Starr on the case, will probably prevail. They have a majority of the votes in the Senate. Remembering the words of James Russell Lowell, I’m thinking their minds are made up.
Basura,
The articles of impeachment (charges against the president) have all the evidence needed to proceed. If there is evidence and witnesses lacking, why did Speaker Pelosi forward the process to the Senate? It isn’t the Senate’s role to dig up evidence or witnesses! It was the House of Representatives role, and they failed – miserably. There are no crimes and the president will remain in office. Nice try, no cigar.
Do you seriously think what Trump did was OK? Do you defend his actions?
I defend the right for any president to investigate corruption. And Biden’s are corrupt and have been for some time.
Just what DID he do? They got the aid and the President asked them to do US a favor. Since he has the right to make sure there is no corruption in regards to our dealing with Ukraine, it was a reasonable request.
Joe Biden has the quid pro quo problem – he said it on video tape – he told them to get rid of the prosecutor looking into his son’s (Hunter) involvement in Burisma or they wouldn’t get the $Billon dollars in aid and they had 6 hours to fire him. Joe looked flabbergasted and peacock proud “Son of a bitch, they fired him”
Trump wanted information on that, nothing illegal about the President wanting to know about corruption by the Biden’s.
What statutes did Trump break … none. How many did the Obama administration break…. many; spying on the Trump campaign, illegal FISA warrants, just to name a few.
Mr Basura,
Sir,
You stated, “Clinton denied having “sex with that woman, Monica Lewinsky”, and was impeached for lying.” One fact left out, President Clinton committed perjury when he said it in a legal proceeding under oath. Lying is one thing perjury is much worse and a felony with a five year sentence.
Your observation that this will all come to nothing is correct.
That is correct; he lied under oath. That is jerjury.
correction: perjury is the correct spelling.
Basura
When one is charged with a crime..is it not prudent to hire the best defense possible? Would you hire a lawyer fresh put of school or one with experience…it matters not who they have defended but if they can win for you.
I’m guessing you have never been charged with any type of offence that might require a lawyer. Hence, the question …would you be comfortable with a Public Defender or the best lawyer your money could get ???
When you ask do we who disagree with you support his actions? My answer is so far there has been no credible evidence that impeachment is justified…of course, if you are burdened with the hate of President Trump just him breathing is justification to remove him from office
Why is there such great fear he will be elected again?
Where are those candidates who will be able to become the next President??
Is it possible they do not exist?
In Trumplandia it’s acceptable to lie multiple times to the press about having extramarital relationships with two women and paying them off then quietly admitting payoffs in court filings.
Defending this President must be exhausting when it’s always started with “What about Bill Clinton”.
Sadly, all the candidates for either party are flawed. We had a choice between a billionaire carnival barker or a known cheat and liar in Hillary. At least the carnival barker knows how to get things done and the economy is booming for everyone.
I’d like to check the worth of all Democrats running for president. Every one with possibly one exception of mayor Pete are millionaires. How does that happen on $170,000 per year and having a residence in the home state and one in DC? Can you say “graft, corruption, and insider trading”?