Trump impeachment lawyer Robert Ray defended the President at his historic Senate trial this week, conceding some problems with Trump’s approach to Ukraine while insisting there was no impeachable offense. One day after finishing that case, MSNBC Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber presses Ray on the evidence Trump sought a Biden investigation, including Trump’s own words, and presses Ray on Trump lawyers’ presenting the “false” argument that abuse of power is not impeachable, quoting from past Articles of Impeachment. Ray partly concedes abuse of power is impeachable, breaking with his co-counsel Alan Dershowitz, but argues that the case is stronger when combined with alleged crimes. Ray also asserts that regardless of Trump’s intent, he is “entitled to withhold aid in order to see what the Ukrainians do,” previewing a “temporary” defense to address mounting evidence there was a quid pro quo. Aired on 1/29/20.
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Trump Trial Lawyer Admits Abuse Of Power Is Impeachable, Previews 'Temporary' Defense | MSNBC
This is how to defend indefensible—use of a lot of circular wording, gobbledygook.
Odd. It seemed very straight-forward to me.
@BurritoMan because the other side keeps trying to deny it
@Cory Winget lmao
@Udit Gupta Deny the “substantial” evidence that was gathered in the house investigation? or deny non voted, non enforced subpoenas? The House could have gotten everything they wanted to look at had they waited and gone through the supreme court to possible deny the use of executive privilege and enforce the subpoenas.
@Udit Gupta I honestly thought you were talking about China with the Corona Virus lol
So unless I tell you that I’m robbing you, it’s not robbery.
@m maj A better analogy would be, “the bank said they were never robbed.” But behind the scenes we find out that the bank robber held billions of dollars in the bank and the bank knew that he would cause so much trouble for the bank afterwards that they decide to say there was no threat.
@james p Let me guess. 90% of your information comes from the Fox talking heads and to you they make so much sense when they say the things they do. Just like a Hollywood made “Real Life Story”.
james p no. It’s illegal to withhold congressionally approved aid. Read a book.
put your keyboard away before you hurt yourself
Alice in Wonderland has become acceptable reality. The framers could never have anticipated such appalling corruption throughout the whole process.
@Rod “B…..b…..b…..but……lookover there! Look at something else! Stop looking at Trump* (*Impeached).
That is why it is how it is — to block partisan politics. Impeachment shall not be partisan.
Raven Rodriguez you can say it a thousand times. We’re not buying! So go peddle you’re crap on a Fox comment section, because we’re not that stupid to listen to people in the comment section.
“Remember what the dormouse said, feed your head”
@Rod – Good thing the Republicans investigated when Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma in 2014. Maybe they investigated in 2017? I bet they would have found him guilty just like they found Hillary guilty for Benghazi! Remember how she got jail time for that?
this man just stuck his foot in his mouth
Just put the president on the stand and let him tell his story
I agree. I would love to see this maniac be placed in full light so the nation can see and acknowledge that he’s nuts and shouldn’t be in power not even of a toothbrush
Within 3 seconds he would already have lied the manchild cant help himself I never wish death on anyone but I hope that fat rat dies a very slow death
@Diane Owen 🤣😂
@mark toney 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 sounds like you’re making an argument for a dictator.
@Diane Owen lol you right
Yep, he has the power to withhold funds, as long as he checks it with congress first, so guilty as charged. LOCK HIM UP 2020!!! 86452020!!!
He threw the rock at billy but since he didn’t look at him when he threw it, it’s not his fault he did nothing wrong.
“I didn’t punch him — his face got in the way of my fist!!” LOLOLOL
The president is only entitled to withhold aid to “see what they’ll do” with proper notification of congress regarding the matter!
Other presidents have withheld aid on multiple occasion’s no one has tried to impeach them are accused them especially the black Jesus Barack Obama that would have rough bed to impeach our 1st black president O that would never do
@Bill Ridge The other presidents notified congress as required.
@Bill Ridge You couldn’t hold back on the insults on Obama! Total crap as per usual from a rabid Trump fan!
@Bill Ridge Read this article-appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/fact-check-president-trumps-false-claim-equating-his-illegal-ukraine-aid-freeze-with-president-obamas-lawful-legitimate-pauses-on-aid. Also, I don’t know where you got this Black Jesus thing. I’ve never heard anybody refer to him as that. What I have heard is people referring to tRump as a God and he’s anything but that.
This guy is saying his client his guilty ultimately. He’s just ignoring the evidence to pretend he isn’t
Trump’s lawyers are embarrassingly incompetent. And Schiff is really killing it out there. I didn’t know he was this eloquent and convincing.
I Will Dare they are horrible. And it’s sad because he will still not be held accountable. 😢
This attorney is a joke.
All of Trump’s attorneys are the worst. One even went to prison. Probably won’t be the last.
The defense lawyer has no case.
He didn’t present any evidence at all, he basically just did a Fox News ramble.
Cameron
What are talking about!?
There is no “innocent until proven guilty”, that was already voted on by the House and the president was impeached.
This is a removal trial held in the US Senate, not in a court of law. The only rules that apply in the Senate trial are those the Senate voted to follow at the beginning of the proceedings.
You’re going to have to do some reading on your own …
ThemFuzzyMonsters you don’t know what your taking about. “innocent until proven guilty” is a mantra that is present in the United States legal system and incorporated into the 6th amendment. Maybe you are confused because it an ‘impeachment trail,’ however, it’s up to the Presidents accusers to prove there were impeachable offenses that trump committed. Thus far there is not evidence of a crime. Just accusations.
Cameron
OMFG … he is guilty. The House already impeached the president. The President declined to participate in those sessions.
The Senate trial is only to decide if he gets removed from office or not. The Senate cannot rescind the impeachment.
The job at hands is to convince 67 Senators (2/3rds) that Trump should be removed. It could involve hearing testimonies or not, the Senate makes its own rules as it goes by voting. It will take 51 senators (majority) to approve a change in the proceedings.
Please go read:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_in_the_United_States
This thread is MSNBC in a nutshell lol.
Chizz otaku 🤣🤣🤣 yeh! because of chumpuglyclan cultists like yourself spreading your cult’s hate of America and parading it as patriotism… what a desperate gaggle of morons 👍
thank God that not all republicans have jumped ship and joined the trumpuglyclan cult. THE LINCOLN PROJECT 👍 the GOP election strategists who are used to attacking democrats who are running in elections and are TRUE republicans have turned their sights on trump and spending mega millions on ads to rid America of this toxic president dotard chump aka captain bones spurs EVEN if it means electing a democrat to the presidency 👍
when the republicans OWN election campaign attack dogs, start running ads to have a “republican” president REMOVED whether by impeachment or at election time it just ABSOLUTELY shines so much more light on dotard donny’s criminality and the fact that he’s ethically and morally bankrupt….
this cockroach of a president is running out of dark corners to hide in 🤣🤣🤣
Even Ray doesn’t believe what he’s saying. Nervous.
AGREED !
Watch any of the Republican trash, nervous and stuttering all the time.
Maybe he is anxious due to the fact this reporter is getting outrageously loud and agressive for no reason.
Hobgoblin Hollow 🤣🤣🤣 you just described trump 👍
Dude’s talking in circles because he has no idea what he’s even trying to argue.
Myllz ………. What a mealy-mouthed double talker !
I thought it was just me.
You are so quite right, get them out before too much mess continue to hang us breathless, and dehydrated. We cannot tolerate any more concoction of atrocities.
I should have gone to law school. Beaucoup bucks, nice suits, cholesterol lunches. And all you gotta do is talk out of both side of your mouth.
Do these ” lie-awes”, ( monsters of shocking, spineless presentations), realize that their own tongues, are, and have been strangling their own brains, (past the boundaries of absurdity)?
When trash speaks no one should listen to its poisonous words! Legal defense is a joke a this point! A felony president protected by a criminal senate!!
“Look Boss. de plane! De plane!” Welcome to Fantasy Island.
Just because a person or people don’t know they’re being Played doesn’t mean there’s no ill intent.
So like his casino because HE FAILED to extort a president of a foreign country he should be let off the hook?
Trump : maybe this time I FAILED, I WILL TRY ONCE AGAIN………
The president cannot hold back aid without informing congress.
They had till September 30, it was released the 11th.
@john emeigh “Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law,” the decision by the GAO said. The 1974 Impoundment Control Act says it is illegal for the White House to withhold aid appropriated by Congress. It also says the White House must first alert Congress before it delays or blocked funds, which the Trump administration did not do.
@Jam Who Because he got caught!
@Constituent A caught trying to assure that the aid money wasn’t going to be involved in corruption and zelensky would do the right thing with it. Sounds reasonable.
I pay alot of my debts at the last moment…. Alot of people do.
Trump says something…
The republicans “That’s not what he was trying to say. What he was trying to say was….” lol there’s no such thing as abuse of power when It comes to trump.
this is abuse of power, bribery corruption and conspiracy https://youtu.be/tCO3nW3cnHM game over
Like trying to explain the tantrums of a spoiled baby!
Painful to watch
Yup “That’s not what he was trying to say. What he was trying to say was….” and then republicans insert :Something much less illegal than what he said…lol
@MrSmokelife Abuse of power is not federal crime. Is is not a violation of a law. There is no such law on the books. The Democrats are not serious about getting rid of Trump. They keep passing his legislation. This is a fund raiser.
Sounds like Ray is DESPERATELY trying to make his case. He seems to be spinning words to accommodate his lame defense.