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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump Appeals Ruling Over Congressional Subpoena. His Brief Is a Disaster.
by Elura Nanos | 11:45 am, June 11th, 2019
President Donald Trumps legal team appears to be having trouble course-correcting in its battle over congressional subpoenas of Trumps financial records. Instead of revamping their legal arguments to include something that might actually convince a judge, Team Trump keeps hammering away with the same losing argument: Congress cant have the presidents records because only the presidents own people are allowed to investigate him. Trumps lawyers arent just doubling-down on their Congress lacks authority argument either theyre throwing in some threats just to keep things lively.
Trumps brief to the D.C. Circuit, filed Monday, lays out the primary argument against the congressional subpoenas: by gathering Trumps records, Congress is illegally encroaching on the executive branchs turf. The power to investigate, Trump argues, belongs only to the executive, and Congress should stay in the land of legislation and leave the president and his financial documents alone.
Legal Twitter is doing its part to call out the multiple face-palming aspects of the presidents brief.
1. So much winning.
U.S. District Judge for the District of D.C. Amit Mehta flatly rejected Trumps attempt to block a subpoena in this case on grounds that Congress isnt allowed to investigate unless it is impeaching:
It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a president for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct past or present even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry.
A few days later, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York Edgardo Ramos issued a mirror-image ruling in a parallel case. And yet, Trumps people are still peddling this, Congress can only legislate argument.
Link to tweet
more
https://lawandcrime.com/opinion/trump-appeals-ruling-over-congressional-subpoena-his-brief-is-a-disaster/
C_U_L8R
(45,021 posts)It seems we've hit the bottom of the alphabet with the Trump team.
lark
(23,158 posts)This argument, the presidency is above the country is totally unfounded and illegal but one they hope the traitorous Russian Repug SCOTUS will bless. That is their audience, they just want to slow walk it to them. They want to make this go right up to the election before anything happens to hide the truth. They know if the truth is communicated widely, they will lose even with vote hacking. They have to keep it close or they lose power and go to jail.
Grasswire2
(13,571 posts)SWBTATTReg
(22,171 posts)that something is up with the lawyers working on his cases and him (not listening, coming up with garbage rationale to use, etc.). rump already has proven himself to be a serial liar. If I were a lawyer, I would charge many tens of thousands of dollars per hour fee to work for him, otherwise, I'd run as fast as I could away from him.
marble falls
(57,260 posts)SCVDem
(5,103 posts)How stupid would they be to submit an invoice?
Grasswire2
(13,571 posts)what lawyers are defending this?
EleanorR
(2,395 posts)Stefan Passantino, former ethics czar for trump, accused of making false statements to ethics officials.
William Consovoy, clerked for Clarence Thomas.
Patrick Strawbridge, also clerked for Thomas.
Maru Kitteh
(28,342 posts)denbot
(9,901 posts)Thanks M K.