There’s an old joke that goes something like this: A man was defending his uncle, who was accused of stabbing a man on a street corner. The evidence clearly showed the knife belonged to the uncle and that it wound up in the victim. But his nephew explained that it was just an accident and his uncle did not intend to hurt anybody.
“My uncle was standing on the sidewalk, minding his own business while cleaning his knife when the guy ran around the corner,” said the nephew. “The guy didn’t see my uncle and my uncle didn’t have time to avoid him, and the guy ran into the knife. That’s what happened. It was an accident. The guy simply ran at full speed into my uncle’s knife while he was cleaning it.
Seven times.
In the back.”
If you believe that defense makes sense, you are obviously a Trump supporter.
I’ve been watching the impeachment proceedings and the more complex the arguments get the simpler the case becomes. If you want to believe Donald Trump is innocent of the charges against him, all you have to do is suspend common sense.
The fundamental charge against Trump is that he strong-armed the President of Ukraine to serve Trump’s political interests. The facts are not in dispute: Ukrainian President Zelensky wanted an oval office meeting with Trump to demonstrate legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of the world and his constituents. He desperately needed military aid to help his country defend itself against a military incursion by Russia. Meantime, Trump told Zelensky he needed the Ukrainian President to announce investigations into a political opponent, former Vice-President Joe Biden, as well as a bizarre theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
Ukraine’s President has yet to see the inside of the Oval Office. The military aid was mysteriously held up until the end of the fiscal year and, in fact, not all of it was paid. And Trump himself, in a well-publicized telephone call with Zelensky, told him he wanted a “favor,” explaining that he wanted Zelensky to investigate the Bidens and alleged Ukrainian 2016 election interference. He mentioned Biden by name, and invoked the buzzwords of the bizarre interference theory: Crowdstrike, the server, Ukraine. It looks like a shake-down – unless you suspend your common sense.
“No,” insist the Starship Trumpers in Congress, “the President was concerned about corruption in Ukraine.” They argue the President has a duty to make sure that American funds are not wasted by corrupt government officials who divert it for their own purposes.
But the problem with the “corruption” excuse is not that Trump was expressing a general concern about Ukrainian corruption but, rather, specific allegations of corruption against a specific individual: former Vice-President Joe Biden. Trump’s defenders claim that was only a coincidence. But two salient facts undermine the defense. First is the fact that, based on RealClearPolitics polling data, Biden was the dominant front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination on July 25, the day Trump asked Zelensky to investigate him. The same day a Fox News poll showed that Biden was the Democratic candidate most likely to beat Trump in the general election.
The other fact: Trump has never shown concern about corruption. His administration has rolled back anti-corruption initiatives and reduced funding. The history of the Trump presidency, based on his official actions, shows a history of impairing the battle against domestic and foreign corruption, not supporting it.
So, Donald Trump, who has never shown any interest in fighting corruption, suddenly developed a mission to fight corruption in foreign nations by focusing exclusively on the Democratic candidate who, as of the July 25th phone call, was most likely to defeat him. Yet the Starship Trumpers, led by Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, the only rabid badger ever elected to Congress, insist the focus on Biden was only a coincidence. Seriously, that’s their defense. As Jon Lovitz’ Tommy Flanagan might say: “Yeah, that’s the ticket.”
Here is an example of a jury instruction commonly given in federal court: You should use your common sense in weighing the evidence. Consider it in light of your everyday experience with people and events, and give it whatever weight you believe it deserves. In other words, juries need not abandon their common sense in order to decide a case.
Once the House impeaches Trump he will be tried before the Senate. His defenders will ask the senators to believe that Trump suddenly morphed into a corruption fighter and it’s a mere coincidence his efforts happened to focus on his most threatening political adversary. Will the senators comply with a rule we expect from every other jury and employ their common sense? Or will they hold themselves to a standard lower than the one the rest of us are held to?
Ironically, Hunter Biden’s appointment to the Board of Directors of Burisma is a valid political issue. The junior Mr. Biden was clearly not qualified for that position and its generous remuneration. Trump could have demagogued that fact, creating suspicion and uncertainty among the voters. That’s fair game for any politician. But Trump instead decided to go a step further and compel the President of Ukraine (aided and abetted by Rudy, Lev and Igor) to announce a formal investigation under threat of losing critical military aid.
Trump did not have to act in a corrupt manner to exploit the Biden-Burisma connection, but he did so anyway, because that’s what he does. He could not help himself; corruption is in his nature. If that’s not grounds for removal from office, what is?
© 2019 by Mike Tully
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‘Twas The Night for Impeachment
‘Twas the night for impeachment, when in the White House
Not a staffer likes Donald, they think he’s a louse.
His mocking words sting like a bite from an ant
They never know when he will go on a rant;
Melania snuggled alone in her bed;
While youngest son Barron wished Daddy was dead;
And Nancy Pelosi with tip of the cap,
Had told Donald Trump she’s not taking his crap.
When on the South Lawn there arose such a clatter,
The news people covered the turbulent matter.
Away to the cameras they flew like a flash,
The media outlets were rolling in cash.
The train-wreck of Donald drew eyeballs and clicks,
He deals in corruption and yet nothing sticks.
When what to his wandering eye did appear,
Republicans running, with Pence in the rear,
And poor Lindsey Graham, he collapsed in a heap,
The Donald just stared at the sad little creep.
More rapid than weasels his coursers they came,
And he bellowed and blustered and called them by name:
“Now, Jordan! now, Nunes! now Gaetz and McCarthy!
On, Rudy! on, Igor! with Lev we will party!
To the cable talk guys, do your best to enthrall!
Now obfuscate! obfuscate! obfuscate all!”
As flakes toss in currents like geese in their flocks,
The luckiest sycophants wind up on Fox;
So up to the talk shows the coursers they ran
With a chorus of bullshit that pleases the Man—
When even Fox polls make the Man blow his stack
The West Wingers know he will go on attack.
As they cover their heads while they dream of escape,
Here comes Giuliani, the Donald’s trained ape.
He was dressed all in fur, with the heads still attached,
A sport coat and wingtips and none of it matched;
A bundle of lies he had told to the news,
There was no predicting the words he would choose.
His eyes – they are headlights! his forehead, how shiny!
His ego enormous, his ethics so tiny!
He drooled so much, clearly, he needed a bib,
But Trump, nonetheless, likes the cut of his jib.
The holiday party was over at last,
And Donald Trump’s mind found its way to the past;
Before his impeachment made life such a bummer
His mind wandered back to a wonderful summer.
When he courted Jong-un and put kids in a cage,
And he’d bellow at rallies, while tweeting with rage;
Nobody believed anything that he said
His infantile ravings gave reason to dread;
He thinks not a thought, while pretending to work,
Our allies in Europe all think he’s a jerk.
Republicans back him while holding their nose,
Alliance with Putin is not what they chose;
The House has impeached him and sent him to trial,
With Moscow Mitch helping it won’t take a while.
The Grim Reaper cries, as he slinks out of sight –
“Happy Christmas to all, it won’t be a fair fight!”
© 2019 by Mike Tully
<<< READ / DOWNLOAD A PDF VERSION BY CLICKING HERE >>>