Trump Lawyer Asks to Pause Impeachment Trial if It Runs Into Sabbath

[Zorro]

Source: New York Times

The request by David Schoen, one of former President Donald J. Trump’s lawyers, could upend plans for a fast trial.

Democrats and Republicans eager to tidily conclude former President Donald J. Trump’s impeachment trial within a week may have a fresh obstacle in front of them: the biblical commandment to keep the Jewish Sabbath.

One of the lead defense lawyers for Mr. Trump has informed Senate leaders that he is an observant Jew who strictly adheres to the commandment against working on the Sabbath, and thus would be unable to participate in any proceeding that stretched past sundown on Friday or met on Saturday.

In a letter obtained by The New York Times, the lawyer, David Schoen, asked that the trial be suspended if it was not finished by the beginning of the Sabbath at 5:24 p.m. on Friday, and that it not reconvene until Sunday.

“I apologize for the inconvenience my request that impeachment proceedings not be conducted during the Jewish Sabbath undoubtedly will cause other people involved in the proceedings,” Mr. Schoen said in the letter. “The practices and prohibitions are mandatory for me, however; so, respectfully, I have no choice but to make this request.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/06/us/politics/trump-impeachment-trial.html

[Clash City Rocker]

1. Because Trump is such a reverent guy

[Rhiannon12866]

9. +100

[mahina]

31. Came here to say it

The guy is certainly entitled to his old religion and whatever his habits or choices are but that doesn’t mean the whole world stops

[dchill]

2. Separation of church and state?

[RockRaven]

3. Hey buddy, you do you, and everyone else will just carry on in their own manner regardless

You are free to do as you like, religion wise, but that's got nothing to do with any of us. See you the day after. You'll catch up with whatever happened while you were gone just fine...

[karynnj]

4. Remind him that Jared got special permission to ride in a car to attend the balls in 2017

even though it was shabbat. However a pause right after the defense makes an emotional case with all the facts on iour side spelling out just what that mob did is NOT in their interest as it will be repeated on the weekend shows. He incited that rally.

I wonder if the Senate can simply point out that it is not required that all his lawyers be there to very day.

[dem4decades]

5. How does Mr Schoen feel about representing a man whose supporters wear Camp Auschwitz shirts?

[orangecrush]

15. +1

[demosincebirth]

16. $$$

[Lock him up.]

43. The Qult deaR leadeR stiffs his lawyers when he loses. nt

[dflprincess]

6. Can't he just get a Shabbos Goy

To fill in?

[COLGATE4]

24. Perfect response!!!

[Hekate]

7. Big deal. He won't be the only lawyer Trump has, so they can take turns on Saturday & Sunday

...and cover both Sabbath and Shabbos. I am just so not impressed.

[WePurrsevere]

22. I agree. It's what the lawyer group I worked for...

Eons ago did. It wasn't just one person working on the case of in front of a judge and jury.

[elleng]

8. Tough sh*t, sherlock;

find him another lawyer.

AND keep in mind 'dispensation' from Jewish laws are available for 'exigent circumstances.'

[safeinOhio]

19. There always seems to be a

loop hole.

[Blue Owl]

10. Maybe tRump can stand outside Mar a Lardo holding an upside-down Torah

[secondwind]

11. He can just as easily not attend the trial.

But asking the entire shitshow to stop the world because he wants to get off is pretty BALLSY, imho.

[2naSalit]

12. So?

We have a trial to conduct and you either participate or you don't, religious practices have no role in this.

[SunSeeker]

13. Oy. If he was that observant he shouldn't have taken the job.

I call bullshit.

[orangecrush]

14. I hope he runs into this

[ProfessorGAC]

37. The Album That Changed My Musical Life!

In freshman year of HS, I was serious about my jazz piano.
Like kids my age, I listened to pop & rock, and loved Beatles, Cream, etc.
Then my uncle bought me this album for Christmas. (Yeah, Black Sabbath for Christmas.)
First song comes on, I hear those opening notes, and immediately I think "You can do flatted fifths in rock? I'm in!).
2 years later I'm singing & playing organ in a rock band.
Never regretted it. 2,000+ gigs later.
I still play jazz piano, even in a rock tune. But, I really love playing rock guitar.
It was because of this album.

[orangecrush]

40. ....

[mr_lebowski]

44. It was special to me too

[Miguelito Loveless]

17. Can't be a very observant Jew

if he represents a pig.

[orangecrush]

41. . .

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

18. A little research will prove whether he is truly observant.

Look for previous cases where he participated in trials, hearings, or filed legal documents during the Sabbath. If you find even one incident, that shoots down his argument.

It could all be resolved by having Fat Donnie plead guilty.

[Paladin]

34. My thought, exactly.

Let's see just how many times in the past Mr. Schoen detached from his professional duties to observe the Sabbath. I have a feeling it will be none. When trump is involved, you're entitled to expect the worst.

[TomDaisy]

20. ah... this is when you get another lawyer on your team to step in and handle it

[Nocturnowl]

21. Why Stop There?

Lent starts soon, and that's an additional 40 days' worth of dodging!

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

23. It's not going to be a popular opinion here, but as the son of a Jew, I support his request that he

not be asked to participate on Shabbos. Of course, if there is a goyishe lawyer on Trump's team, the case can proceed without Mr Schoen.

[elleng]

30. He doesn't have to participate.

[bluestarone]

25. Run the trial 24 hrs a day.

ALL week.

[ripcord]

26. Ruth Bader Ginsberg is probably rolling over in her grave at all this intolenace

She and Beyer got SCOTUS to not allow arguments on Yom Kipur even if it fell on a weekday so they and other Jews could observe the holiday.

[DeminPennswoods]

27. I can respect his request, but he does have a

co-counsels who can fill in.

[milestogo]

28. For a moment I thought they were going to try to tell us Trump is a Jew.

[marble falls]

29. I don't think prolonging this will work out well for Donnie Two Scoops. So I really hope he does.

[jmowreader]

32. In other words...

Stop the hearings at 5 pm on Friday and don’t have them on Saturday. Then stand down on Sunday so the Christians who attend church can do that.

I see no big problem with this; after a week of hearing the most outrageous crap imaginable, everyone’s going to need a couple of days off to recover anyway.

[orleans]

33. lol. i've been getting exhausted just anticipating the start of the trial nt

[elleng]

46. Right

[clementine613]

35. Force him to be there on the sabbath.

I'm sorry, but if you agree to work for Trump, you've forfeited all your basic human rights, because you've proven yourself not human. Force him to be there.

[PurgedVoter]

36. From sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday, let Trump defend himself

No one should have to go against the law or their faith. Yet, David Schoen, let us examine your bank accounts since you are good practicing Jew and have nothing to hide. When we see that you have never spent money on the Sabbath, we will know that you do indeed practice this simple requirement of your faith.

[old guy]

38. No. No delay.

[Griefbird]

39. May be a trial run.

If it works, former president can maintain that as a Christian, he can only be judged by G_d.

[clementine613]

42. Request Granted. No Impeachment Trial on the Sabbath.

[mr_lebowski]

45. I have friends that sure as sh*t don't f***ing roll ...