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09:41
Romney spokesperson confirms he will vote for witnesses
09:31
Here’s the schedule for today’s proceedings
09:17
Sanders tied with Biden in new national poll
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Wall trouble
08:19
Delaney drops out of Dem race with swipe at Sanders
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Trump impeachment: a success or failure for the Democrats?
09:56
09:45
09:41
Romney spokesperson confirms he will vote for witnesses
09:31
Here’s the schedule for today’s proceedings
09:17
Sanders tied with Biden in new national poll
08:33
In another reminder of the stark contradictions and departures from past precedent this impeachment hearing has thrown up, lawyers for the Trump administration argued yesterday, in a separate legal proceeding, that a president can be impeached over failure to comply with subpoenas issued by the House of Representatives, reports Oliver Laughland.
Of the two articles of impeachment Donald Trump is currently being tried on, one relates to obstruction of Congress due to his administration’s decision to block witnesses and other evidence requested by the House. Trump’s lawyers have argued repeatedly that the president cannot be impeached over this offense, suggesting the president has a right to protect the executive branch from requests from Congress.
On Thursday, however, during entirely separate legal proceedings, a Justice Department lawyer argued in federal court that the president could be impeached over ignoring subpoenas. The proceedings related to the administration’s handling of the 2020 census, an issue being probed by the Democratic-controlled House.
In this case, too, the Trump administration is refusing to hand over certain evidence. DOJ lawyer James Burnham told a DC federal judge that while it was the president’s right to ignore the subpoenas, Congress had other powers, including impeachment, to hold the executive to account.
The news travelled to an outraged Adam Schiff, one of the Democrat impeachment managers, on Thursday evening and drew derision and laughter from senators on the jury.
“In the category of you can’t make this stuff up,” Schiff said. “The judge says if the Congress can’t enforce its subpoenas in court, then what remedy is there? And the Justice Department lawyer’s response is impeachment.”
The Justice Department later issued a statement, attempting to clarify Burnham’s remarks: “The point we made in court is simply that Congress has numerous political tools it can use in battles with the Executive Branch — appropriations, legislation, nominations, and potentially in some circumstances even impeachment.”
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Wall trouble
Updated
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Delaney drops out of Dem race with swipe at Sanders
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Who is Lamar Alexander?
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Trump may be acquitted as early as today
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Source: US Politics - theguardian.com