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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCorrespondence from Lamar
I am a native Tennessean in my 50s, old enough to remember Alexander as a fairly good governor in the 70s-80s.
Here is the correspondence I received from him, along with my reply, not that it will do much good.
On Feb 1, 2020, at 10:32 AM, Senator Lamar Alexander <Correspondence_Reply@Alexander.senate.gov> wrote:
February 1, 2020
Dr. XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXX Ave
Nashville, TN 372XX
Dear XXXXXXXX,
Thanks for getting in touch with me and sharing your thoughts regarding the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitutions high bar for an impeachable offense.
There is no need for more evidence to prove that the president asked Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter; he said this on television on October 3, 2019, and during his July 25, 2019, telephone call with the president of Ukraine. There is no need for more evidence to conclude that the president withheld United States aid, at least in part, to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens; the House managers have proved this with what they call a mountain of overwhelming evidence. There is no need to consider further the frivolous second article of impeachment that would remove the president for asserting his constitutional prerogative to protect confidential conversations with his close advisers.
It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation. When elected officials inappropriately interfere with such investigations, it undermines the principle of equal justice under the law. But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this years ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate. The question then is not whether the president did it, but whether the United States Senate or the American people should decide what to do about what he did. I believe that the Constitution provides that the people should make that decision in the presidential election that begins in Iowa on Monday.
The Senate has spent nine long days considering this mountain of evidence, the arguments of the House managers and the presidents lawyers, their answers to senators questions and the House record. Even if the House charges were true, they do not meet the Constitutions treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors standard for an impeachable offense.
The framers believed that there should never, ever be a partisan impeachment. That is why the Constitution requires a 2/3 vote of the Senate for conviction. Yet not one House Republican voted for these articles. If this shallow, hurried and wholly partisan impeachment were to succeed, it would rip the country apart, pouring gasoline on the fire of cultural divisions that already exist. It would create the weapon of perpetual impeachment to be used against future presidents whenever the House of Representatives is of a different political party.
Our founding documents provide for duly elected presidents who serve with the consent of the governed, not at the pleasure of the United States Congress. Let the people decide.
Sincerely,
Lamar
My response:
You are a coward, a sell-out, and will be remembered as such for all of history.
Congratulations on destroying your legacy and that of your entire family in one vote.
TRAITOR
dchill
(38,505 posts)...and true!
OMGWTF
(3,959 posts)Mister Ed
(5,940 posts)It has only been a "partsan" impeachment because your party has made it so, with none willing to violate the treasonous compact that they have entered into.
Peregrine Took
(7,415 posts)Docreed2003
(16,864 posts)That cowardly fuck literally said "He did it, so what". Unfuckingbelieveable
Karadeniz
(22,537 posts)spanone
(135,846 posts)I wrote him every day of the hearings.
This morning I wrote: Congratulations Mr. Alexander, you are a Profile in Cowardice.
renate
(13,776 posts)I hate that it has to exist, but it's absolutely correct.
volstork
(5,402 posts)sandensea
(21,639 posts)Like most of them.
Under The Radar
(3,404 posts)...but that vote was the highest profile move in his entire political career and he will he judged for allowing Trump to remain in office after the entire truth of Trumps guilt not just in the Ukraine matter come to light, but for every criminal act that he has and will commit.
It is political hindsight that Senator Alexander will also be judged for. It makes it even worse that Lamar admitted to Trumps guilt, then let him go to commit others crimes.
OMGWTF
(3,959 posts)Hoist, meet petard.
Under The Radar
(3,404 posts)Mr Alexander task as Governor of Tennessee, Sec of Education and Senator will all be a side note.
The vote that allowed Trump off the hook by Lamar Alexander
DallasNE
(7,403 posts)But that is circling around the issue. Alexander set the bar somewhere behind the moon as his way around the issue which is that Republicans can't come to grips with the required sentence (removal). So they revert to contortion. Rubio' is more truthful but also more contorted - jury nullification.
This also shows that Republicans realize that Trump is guilty as charged under a mountain of evidence. They just can't enforce the law because they don't like the punishment (removal) so they are forced into these contortions. Alexander sets the bar somewhere behind the moon to get around it. Rubio is a little more truthful but he is conflicted by the required sentence so he will nullify the sentence by voting for acquittal. Both are violating the oath they took. There are Senate rules against this but those rules will not be enforced, doing further damage to the rule of law. They need to step back and take a look at the big picture but clear thinking is now in short supply. They apparently would rather see the country rot under the weight of a sham trial than do what is required of them by their own oath, which is to be impartial and vote based on the evidence presented. This a a sad chapter in America's history. Extremely sad.
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)Partisan because Republicans refused to allow evidence and testimony and because they refuse to acknowledge his led and criminal behavior.
D_Master81
(1,822 posts)I mean the Democrats were doing such partisan things as asking for witnesses and WH documents. The horror!
struggle4progress
(118,295 posts)pioche4
(114 posts)It will be part of his headline when he dies, for sure.
rurallib
(62,426 posts)On second thought, he is a Repug, so I guess no real surprise.
TNNurse
(6,927 posts)volstork
(5,402 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,322 posts)to fix the upcoming election is something that should just be decided in that "inappropriately" fixed election. So if Trump fixes it good and proper, he'll get away with it. He has just pissed on the concept of the law.
He is an idiot and morally bankrupt; and he thinks the American public are as idiotic and as morally bankrupt as he is.
OMGWTF
(3,959 posts)Marcuse
(7,488 posts)Cousin Dupree
(1,866 posts)Duppers
(28,125 posts)I called his office just raving & ranting with anger. He will not forget this; we will not let him.
cry baby
(6,682 posts)through a few as the voicemail was full in all his many offices.
gibraltar72
(7,506 posts)WA-03 Democrat
(3,050 posts)These are Trumpians.
Republicans died yesterday.
Facts not Fear
GO JOE GO!!!
He will win WI, MI, OH and PA.
He will beat trump like a drum
DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)for real.
bluestarone
(16,976 posts)I say that HE took an OATH when he accepted to be a senator that HE would PROTECT this great country from creatures like tRUMP! HE FAILED TO PROTECT THIS COUNTRY! HE could have STOPPED tRUMP in his tracks from FURTHER destruction! THEY ALL FAILED!
bdamomma
(63,883 posts)All those who followed this wanna be dick...are going to be such trouble, when things get worse for the American people, and for themselves, really their party is more, they are just jockeying who is getting more of this $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
The NRA has no money that is why they are branching out to rogue countries.
I may watch V for Vendetta.