Trump’s impeachment defense goes straight for the loophole
Trump’s lawyers answered the House impeachment article by arguing that the Senate had no jurisdiction because he was already out of office, a move that immediately signaled a defense built less on facts than on escape hatches. The filing also denied the core allegation tied to January 6, setting up a trial fight over both the attack itself and the power of Congress to judge a former president. For Trump, it was a familiar play: deny, delay, and hope procedure buries the substance.
First recorded Feb 3, 2021·Meaningfully updated Feb 3, 2021
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Trump’s impeachment defense goes straight for the loophole
Trump’s lawyers answered the House impeachment article by arguing that the Senate had no jurisdiction because he was already out of office, a move that immediately signaled a defense built less on facts than on escape hatches. The filing also denied the core allegation tied to January 6, setting up a trial fight over both the attack itself and the power of Congress to judge a former president. For Trump, it was a familiar play: deny, delay, and hope procedure buries the substance.
Trump’s lawyers answered the House impeachment article by arguing that the Senate had no jurisdiction because he was already out of office, a move that immediately signaled a defense built less on facts than on escape hatches. The filing also denied the core allegation tied to January 6, setting up a trial fight over both the attack itself and the power of Congress to judge a former president. For Trump, it was a fa…
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