Trump news: Impeachment defence lawyer says ‘idiotic’ to mention election as Gaetz offers to join case
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Your support makes all the difference.House Democrats have laid out their impeachment case against Donald Trump in a comprehensive memorandum accusing him of inciting the failed insurrection at the US Capitol on 6 January that left five people dead.
The 80-page document provides a roadmap for their prosecution of the former president when his Senate impeachment trial kicks off on 9 February. “If provoking an insurrectionary riot against a Joint Session of Congress after losing an election is not an impeachable offence, it is hard to imagine what would be,” they argue.
As Mr Trump’s lawyers issued their own 14-page, typo-riddled response objecting to the trial as “unconstitutional”, more than 370 congressional aides signed a letter calling on senators to convict the ex-president for placing them in harm’s way.
Mr Trump’s lead impeachment attorney meanwhile says that it would be “idiotic” and “insane” to dispute the result of the 2020 election as part of their defence strategy.
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Did Trump attorney vote illegally?
A high profile lawyer who played a key role in former president Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, is now under investigation over whether or not he was a legal voter.
Stuti Mishra reports.
Pro-Trump attorney under investigation for possibly voting illegally, report claims
A media report revealed an email from Wood stating that he has been living in South Carolina for months
Meanwhile in Scotland...
Donald Trump’s son Eric has lashed out at Scottish politicians over plans for a parliamentary debate on whether the financing behind the family golf resorts should be investigated.
MSPs will vote on a motion calling for a court order to probe the ex-president’s business holdings in Scotland, amid growing concerns about deals done to set up the Trump Organisation’s golf courses.
Adam Forrest reports.
Eric Trump attacks ‘pathetic’ Scottish parliament debate on golf resort financing
He warned Scottish government potential probe would ‘deter’ overseas investors
Merry Donald Trump Week?
A small city in Florida has declared the first week of February “Donald J Trump week” in honour of the former president.
Officials in Frostproof, Polk County, made the decision to confirm a proclamation on Tuesday that allotted the first six days of February to the former president.
Louise Hall reports.
City in Florida declares first week of February ‘Donald Trump Week’
Representative Anthony Sabatini previously proposed to rename highway after former president
Alleged Capitol rioter allowed to go on pre-trial vacation
A judge has been condemned after one of the alleged Capitol rioters was permitted to holiday in Mexico while awaiting trial.
Gino Spocchia has the story.
Outrage as alleged Capitol rioter is permitted vacation to Mexico ahead of trial
Julian Castro compares woman’s holiday to Trump-era deportations, decries ‘two systems of justice in America’
New defence secretary purges Trump loyalists from Pentagon committees
All change at the Pentagon as Lloyd Austin takes charge.
Chris Riotta reports.
Biden’s new Pentagon chief purges Trump loyalists — including one who called Obama a ‘terrorist leader’
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announces ‘immediate suspension’ of former appointees, including several known for their incendiary online rhetoric
Fact checking the Trump impeachment response
The written response from former president Donald Trump’s legal team to the House’s article of impeachment against their client repeats several of his lies, according to a fact check on the document by CNN.
For starters, Mr Trump denies the allegation that his opinion “that the election results were suspect” is false.
“That is, frankly, ridiculous. Trump lost fair and square. Joe Biden was legitimately elected president. Trump's opinion is factually inaccurate. The end,” says CNN’s Daniel Dale.
Mr Dale makes a similar judgement regarding the statement that there was “insufficient evidence” to assert whether Mr Trump’s statements about widespread voter fraud were accurate. He points out there is “copious evidence” as shown by all the failed legal challenges.
The third fact check is on the assertion that Mr Trump did not make any effort to "subvert" the certification of the results of the 2020 election.
Mr Trump repeatedly did this in speeches and on Twitter.
Mr Dale points out that with the Senate evenly split between the two parties and few Republicans looking likely to join Democrats in a conviction, the former president “won't even stick to the truth when it's apparent he's probably going to win regardless”.
Gaetz says willing to resign from Congress to defend Trump
Florida congressman Matt Gaetz told Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast that he would be willing to resign his Congressional seat in order to defend Donald Trump in his upcoming impeachment trial.
Voices: Trump impeachment trial will be unprecedented and ugly
‘You can’t do an impeachment on the floor of the Senate with two f**king lawyers,’ said one former Trump official, adding that he’s was worried the former president will embarrass himself, writes Andrew Feinberg.
Insiders say Trump’s second Senate impeachment trial is going to be ugly
‘You can’t do an impeachment on the floor of the Senate with two f**king lawyers,’ said one former Trump official, adding that he’s was worried the former president will embarrass himself
Conservative law professor says Trump should be convicted
Steve Calabresi is a conservative Republican who worked for the Reagan and Bush administrations and was a co-founder of the Federalist Society. While he thought the Muller investigation had no merit and was unconstitutional, he believes that Donald Trump should be convicted in his upcoming impeachment trial.
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