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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStatement from Adam Schiff
Statement from Adam Schiff (Facebook Page)
When I served as lead manager of the first impeachment, we warned the Senators that if they failed to convict Donald Trump after he betrayed our national security, he would do so again, that he had compromised our elections and he would do so again. We warned that they would not change or constrain him. That truth mattered little to him, whats right mattered even less, and decency not at all.
And we told Senators then, that it was in their hands to do something about it, if only they could muster the courage to do what was right. Only one Republican Senator did.
We saw the result on January 6th, as Donald Trump did what we had feared and worse, by attempting to overturn the results of an election he lost. And when that failed, he incited a violent insurrection at the Capitol.
The truth is that as expertly presented as the case was by Jamie Raskin and the House Managers, the facts were never in dispute. After all, the Senators themselves were witnesses to what happened. They were there when the mob did exactly what Donald Trump had asked them to do.
Today, we needed 17 Republicans to join Democrats in standing up for our democracy and our nations safety. Despite a powerful case laid out by Jamie Raskin and the House Impeachment Managers, only 7 had the courage to do so.
As long as I live, I will never understand how the Republican Senators who voted to acquit can reconcile themselves with the consequences of that vote, or where this will place them in history. Why run for the Senate at all, if you will be missing in action when the country really needs you? Is the job that important to leave your country defenseless to a demagogue who brought violence down on our heads? How can they fail to see that by doing so, they have enabled him to bring this same hell upon us again, and that next time it could be even worse?
The last four years tried the soul of our nation and our democracy in ways we could never have imagined. But the next four might be just as consequential.
Are we able to repair the damage Trump wrought, not just to our sacred Capitol but to the spirit of our great nation? Are we able to restore our democracy to what it once was? And how are we able to come together, to unite, when there is so much distrust and division?
While the Senate refused to do their duty and fulfill their oaths, it is incumbent on each one of us to do our part to restore our democracy, and make it better. And that means we need to hold those Republicans who refused to do their duty accountable to the people.
So while Republicans have been throwing around the word unity without knowing its true meaning, you and I both know that we cannot have unity without accountability.
With the vast majority of Republican Senators and Republican Members of Congress refusing to hold Trump accountable for his violent insurrection, our message to them must be clear: we will hold you accountable at the ballot box.
They knew the facts lived through them and still voted to let him off. They have tied themselves to him again, with a cord of steel and for all of history.
Adam
magicarpet
(14,167 posts)Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)mezame
(295 posts)gab13by13
(21,402 posts)Anyone who gives money to these bastards needs to be called out as supporting insurrection. It's what George W. Bush said, "we will hunt down those who attacked us, and those who supported them."
McConnell gave that speech for 1 reason, to keep from losing donor money. Cut off their funding should be a main priority right now. Hurt the bastards in the pocket book.
mezame
(295 posts)Now let's figure out a way to redirect that money into our pockets instead. The disgraced LP and Steve Schmidt know where a lot of bodies are buried.
gab13by13
(21,402 posts)but they had succeeded in shaming many GQP donors and were working to stop the GQP funders. Someone needs to fill in the void that the Lincoln Project was doing.
mezame
(295 posts)Is doing it right. Let's pump up the jam!
BobTheSubgenius
(11,564 posts)I could understand "losing" them if the GOP does actually fracture into the "trad" wing and the "Q" wing. I can definitely see them realigning with the trads.
Progressive Jones
(6,011 posts)jaxexpat
(6,849 posts)BobTheSubgenius
(11,564 posts)I admire him even a little more than before...which was a LOT.
Freddie
(9,273 posts)Its baked in to all our institutions with seemingly no way out.
2/3 vote of the Senate needed for justice
2/3 vote of states for a Constitutional amendment
The filibuster
The Electoral College
The very nature of the senate which gives way outsized power to rural areas
Gerrymandering
Voter suppression, which is now going to get a lot worse
Here again the MINORITY of the people are gloating they won and can continue inflicting this monster on the MAJORITY with apparently no consequences.
I cant decide if I want to cry or scream. Both.
ananda
(28,876 posts)Sigh
Duppers
(28,127 posts)TY. 👍
Tender hopper
(60 posts)its important
2naSalit
(86,775 posts)And work to get Dems into more local offices, it matters.
Welcome to DU!
BarbD
(1,193 posts)And, I refuse to become a part of woulda, coulda, shoulda. From now on we will continue to be relentless, determined and together.
Pepsidog
(6,254 posts)GOPistheEnemy
(49 posts)interested in Democracy in anyway shape or form?
Nuke the Filibuster, Expand the SCOTUS, Declare the Republican Party a Terrorist Organization and start rounding them all up and charge them with Treason and Terrorism, give em a fair trial followed by public executions.
malaise
(269,157 posts)as always
N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,775 posts)in their next election bid should be as brutal as the insurrection.
Never forget
Freddie
(9,273 posts)And ANY R - the House Sedition Caucus and those state legislators who tried to have our votes simply discarded - must have the insurrection hung around their necks. On constant repeat.
gab13by13
(21,402 posts)also need to be called out as supporting insurrection.
Duppers
(28,127 posts)Jetheels
(991 posts)they are fascist,
they are not interested in democracy,
they could care less about laws,
they are Q,
they are spineless,
they are no different than trump,
they want the government to_be_overthrown,
they kneel before trump,
trump is their savior,
they are sheep
ready for slaughter.
They have no excuses left.
Theres no questions as to why that need be answered.
This is who they are.
This is their identity.
GOPistheEnemy
(49 posts)RVN VET71
(2,697 posts)The entire GOP is plutocratic-fascist. It seeks government by the rich, government with unassailable powers over the rest of us. If given complete power and authority, the GOP would establish re-education camps, the kind Trump praised Xi for setting up for the Uighur minority in China, with the singularly American difference that they will be privately run.
To the entire GOP, I feel in total agreement with George Taylor (Charlton Heston) in Planet of the Apes who, viewing the wreckage of the Statue of Liberty, screamed in despair and anger God damn you all! God damn you to hell!
Only instead of the wreckage of Lady Liberty, we saw the wreckage of the Capitol Building and the very fabric of our national values created on January 6, 2021 and herein assented to by virtually every foul, callous, and evil Republican Senator, Representative, Governor, and State legislator.
Yes, God damn them all to hell!
And God bless Adam Schiff, Jamie Raskin, and all of the impeachment managers who tried so magnificently to defend our values, our constitution, and our democracy by making it easy for the Republicans to vote the fat man guilty. A futile attempt, as it turned out, because it assumed a shred of decency among the Republican Senators, among Republicans in general.
(Yes, I know, there are exceptions. My governor is one, and there were others -- goodness, Senator Cassidy actually went through hell trying to see if there was any way a reasonable man could vote to acquit. Finding there was not, he voted guilty. Adam Kinsinger was ostracized by his christian church for voting to impeach Trump a second time. But these exceptions are so few in number that they are proportionately non-existent when matched against the greater population of GOP time servers, traitors, liars, and greedy thieves.)
soldierant
(6,921 posts)In fact, "fascists" would be enough to make it all make sense.
msfiddlestix
(7,286 posts)I'm pleased he wrote this important reminder to the nation of what we all knew.
That is DJT's lawlessness would not be constrained and that he would continue to betray our Country.
That he would do it in the open, that there would be no boundary he wouldn't cross.
I don't think any of us imagined that he would bring on an attack on our Capitol, but we imagined other decisions that would have been nearly as bad or even worse.
But really, I can only think of one thing worse than that action, but I refuse to spell it out in print.
We need accountability, and holding all of those involved in incitement and continuation of the Big Lie, and yes all of those who voted to acquit
I hope to see him as California's next Attorney General.
While he would be missed in Congress, Adam Schiff's wisdom, legal and constitutional acumen and principled character is sorely needed right now in California.
Given that his district would elect another Democrat, we need not worry or be concerned with holding that seat in the House of Representatives.
Roisin Ni Fiachra
(2,574 posts)and they always will be corrupt fascist scumbags. It's not that they are cowards; it is that they have no empathy, no honor, no decency, and no integrity. They do nothing that is good for the people, our country, or our planet The Qpublicans will get more and more extreme as time passes, until they ultimately achieve their goal of overthrowing our democratic system of government, and subsequently create a brutal authoritarian fascist dictatorship.
Unless we take effective, successful measures that stop them from doing so.
Never trust a Republican. Predicting what Republicans will do is a no brainer, because they never do the right thing.
Response to babylonsister (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
judesedit
(4,443 posts)cause they're doing their damndest to keep us from voting. Even moreso than last time.
SayItLoud
(1,702 posts)They MUST lose in the pocketbook and criminal courts.
wendyb-NC
(3,330 posts)What a real and true patriot. His statement is so eloquent, and frightful. The 47 Republican Senators who voted to acquit Trump, have no inkling of or ethic for their duty to serve our democracy or its people. They are vapid, zombies, appendages of Trump.
notinkansas
(1,096 posts)No matter the topic. No matter the consequence. They are hell bent on just being rotten people.
All the not guilty voters need to have political targets on their backs. Their services are no longer required.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,494 posts)Can't imagine the stress our Democratic leadership goes through every day with a herd of miscreants across the isle.
Hoping to support them, President Biden and VP Harris, and all other dedicated public servants in any way we can in 2021 and beyond.
KY......... ..........
IcyPeas
(21,904 posts)they have mcconnell, graham, gaetz, jordan, marge greene, etc.
I just don't get it.
the brain power versus the connivers.
Joinfortmill
(14,456 posts)HUAJIAO
(2,397 posts)They are not just in books, or other countries or other places.
They are everywhere... right here in 'our home.'
None of us should be surprised. We just aren't used to seeing and/or accepting it.
We need to fight back.
Each of us needs to 'be Jamie Raskin,' to "be Adam Schiff," to 'be Stacy Abrams' to be... all the other heroes and heroines. Now!
We need to fight for good people for office everywhere... from road commissioner, to school superintendent to county clerk to state representative to governor to senator, to president.
pattyloutwo
(279 posts)These four years have shone a bright light on some superstars we have working for us in government and Im so thankful for them!
MRDAWG
(501 posts)Trump has made hate great again.
BootinUp
(47,186 posts)niyad
(113,552 posts)Vivienne235729
(3,384 posts)birdographer
(1,338 posts)Every election will have these vile republicans on the ballot. We will vote them out. They will lose and be exterminated like the rodents they are (sorry to good rodents). They have sealed their futures with this. More of us than them, and we will prevail.
Cha
(297,651 posts)Blue Owl
(50,494 posts)I hope none of these senators are re-elected after their spineless showing...
SleeplessinSoCal
(9,144 posts)John Oliver has me super cynical. As much as I wish there were more Adam Schiffs, there are more Matt Gaetzes.
DeminPennswoods
(15,290 posts)wearing a long and ponderous chain.