We Stand on Guard for Thee – US Version

[I have delayed until next week a post that was already written for this week in order to look South.]

 

In the year 2017:

Senator James Risch, Republican chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, interrogated Attorney General Jeff Sessions at a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence – Risch is a member of this committee. “Collusion with the Russians—or any other government, for that matter, when it comes to our elections—certainly would be improper and illegal,” Risch stated. Then he asked Sessions, “Would that be a fair statement?” Sessions replied, “Absolutely.” Trump later replaced Sessions with Attorney General Barr.

Senator Ron Johnson, Republican chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, insisted the US should be investigating whether members of the Trump campaign conspired with the Russian government. Asked if he agreed with Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, that “it’s OK for Republican campaign members, for Republican candidates, to welcome support from a foreign adversary, from Russia,” Johnson replied decisively, “No”.

Senator (and retired Colonel) Lindsey Graham, Republican chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, explained, “The big thing for me, guys, has always been: Did Trump work with the Russians? And I told him to his face, ‘If you did, that’s it between me and you. And anything that follows, you deserve.’ I will say that about any politician of any party.”

In the year 2019:

President Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky spoke by phone. Trump asked Zelensky for a favour: interfere in the 2020 US election by investigating the likely Democrat candidate, former V-P Biden.

Senator Risch said, “I looked at the transcript. This conversation that the president had with the head of Ukraine is a typical conversation.” Trump’s statements were “normal, ordinary, regular things.” “I saw nothing … inappropriate.”

Senator Johnson said that there was nothing wrong. “I never got any sense at all there was any kind of pressure” on Zelensky. Asked whether he was troubled that the president would ask a foreign leader to investigate a political opponent Johnson said, “Almost everybody who is saying that is just troubled that Donald Trump is president. “

Senator Graham said, “I have zero problems with this phone call.” When asked if it was ethical for the president to bring up Joe Biden? Graham replied, “Yes, absolutely.”

We stand on guard for thee – US version:

Democrats began an impeachment enquiry and will vote on a motion to impeach at some point. The evidence so far is pointing towards impeaching both Trump and his V-P Pence.

But impeachment is simply an indictment. If the House impeaches, then the Senate holds a trial. If the Senate finds both of them guilty, then Speaker Pelosi becomes President – automatically.

And that would be prima facie evidence that Hell has actually frozen over despite global warming.

Stuart Syme