Is Chief Justice unfairly putting his thumb on the scales here, or is he upholding what he believes is his duty to shield a whistleblower’s identity?
That raises another question.
Just how far do protections like ‘whistleblower’ protections — especially if they were acquired under, let’s call it ‘peculiar’ circumstances — extend to prevent the accused from facing his accuser?
Given the fact that Schiff had initially lied about his secret and (arguably unlawful) connections to the Whistleblower and the give fact that Schiff has hired individuals from a WH department notorious for harmful anti-Trump leaks IMMEDIATELY AFTER the Ukraine phone call under scrutiny, how is it NOT relevant to ask whether any of the evidence being used against the president was corruptly provided?
This has been portrayed as a ‘trial’ of the President.
But this ‘trial’ is different from any trial you’d see in court. This is a trial in which every single one of the witnesses we’ve heard from so far was called by Democrats (even the lone ‘Republican’ witness was permitted because he was a Hillary voter who also showed up on the Democrats’ list).
If this is a trial, doesn’t the accused get to know whether there is any truth to publicly reported claims of conspiracy on the part of the prosecution?
The Chief Justice has been blocking certain questions from the Senators. But is he going too far with what he’s blocking?
Decide for yourself:
He refused to read the question@RandPaul: “My question today is about whether or not individuals who were holdovers from the Obama NSC and Democrat partisans conspired with Schiff staffers to plot impeaching the President before there were formal House impeachment proceedings.” pic.twitter.com/8FIcu47PBl
— ALX ?? (@alx) January 30, 2020
Paul himself explains what he WAS and was NOT doing here.
My exact question was:
Are you aware that House intelligence committee staffer Shawn Misko had a close relationship with Eric Ciaramella while at the National Security Council together 1/2
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 30, 2020
In light of what we’ve already seen about outrage behaviors on the part of the prosecution in the Gen. Flynn case, in the George Papadopoulos case, and the FISA warrants, it seems relevant to ask questions about prosecutorial malfeasance in such an important question as the Impeachment of a duly-elected President.
A question about a potentially compromising connection between someone in the White House with access to classified and privileged information and the is a perfectly relevant one… especially if ‘nobody knows the identity’ of the whistleblower.
You will notice his question was worded so as not to even touch on any specific whistleblower connections.
My question is not about a “whistleblower” as I have no independent information on his identity. My question is about the actions of known Obama partisans within the NSC and House staff and how they are reported to have conspired before impeachment proceedings had even begun.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 30, 2020
Paul explains:
Sen. @RandPaul: "My question made no reference to any whistleblower…"
He then reads the question.
"I think this is an important question. One that deserves to be asked." pic.twitter.com/D2iafDrv4X
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 30, 2020
Because of this, the hashtag #ArrestRandPaul was trending on Twitter.
Has anyone using #ArrestRandPaul heard @RandPaul's defense? pic.twitter.com/LZJYmJfjWJ
— Robert Willington (@willington) January 31, 2020
Don’t worry, Senator Ted Cruz was there to the rescue. The question was reworded and asked… but House Manager Schiff refused to answer it.
(1/5) My 3rd #impeachment question w 14 fellow GOP Senators: "Recent reporting described two NSC staff holdovers from the Obama Administration attending an all-hands meeting of NSC staff held about two weeks into the Trump Administration. … pic.twitter.com/gUaIZwkke2
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) January 30, 2020
(3/5) … The report further describes relationships between Misko, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman, and an individual alleged as the 'whistleblower.' Why did your committee hire Sean Misko the day after the phone call between President Trump and Zelensky?
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) January 30, 2020
(5/5) WATCH @RepAdamSchiff refuse to answer our question and scold the Senate for asking questions on behalf of the American people ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/JeTlY944to
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) January 30, 2020
‘Outraged’ by the question, Schiff squirmed like a bug on a pin.
Later, White House counsel Pat Cipollone rhetorically drop-kicked him.
Some serious ???????? from Pat Cipollone #ImpeachmentTrial pic.twitter.com/OhCzhfedhd
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 30, 2020
For a guy who spends so much time throwing innuendo around, and accusing others of having ‘something to hide’… why is he so afraid of answering this question?
