"Roberts has a responsibility to preside over a fair trial, and that means a trial where jurors actually listen to evidence and relevant witnesses are heard from," said Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice. (Image: Demand Justice)
'Time for Him to Do His Job': Public Urged to Press Chief Justice Roberts to Subpoena Witnesses Amid GOP 'Cover-Up'
"Roberts' job is to preside over a fair trial, where relevant witnesses are heard from and jurors actually listen to the evidence. Right now, he's helping Republicans break the rules and cover for Trump. That has to end."
Progressives have a message for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is currently presiding over President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial: "Do your job" and stop enabling Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's "cover-up."
Court reform group Demand Justice launched a digital ad campaign Monday urging the U.S. public to flood the Supreme Court with calls demanding that Roberts use his Constitutional authority to subpoena witnesses such as former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
"Roberts shouldn't get a free pass as he goes along with McConnell's sham trial."
--Brian Fallon, Demand Justice
As Common Dreams reported Sunday, Bolton alleges in an unpublished book manuscript that Trump wanted to keep Ukraine aid frozen to pressure that country's government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.
The White House and Senate Republicans, led by McConnell, have thus far blocked witnesses from testifying in the impeachment trial, reportedly out of fear that allowing one witness could open the "floodgates" for others.
"Roberts shouldn't get a free pass as he goes along with McConnell's sham trial," tweeted Demand Justice executive director Brian Fallon. "If Republicans won't commit to letting witnesses like Bolton testify, Roberts can rule in favor of a motion to subpoena those witnesses and force the GOP to try to overrule him."
Overruling the chief justice would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
\u201cJohn Roberts\u2019 job is to preside over a fair trial, where relevant witnesses are heard from and jurors actually listen to the evidence.\n\nRight now, he\u2019s helping Republicans break the rules and cover for Trump. That has to end.\n\nCall Roberts at 202-479-3000. Tell him to do his job.\u201d— Demand Justice (@Demand Justice) 1580144220
In an op-ed for the New York Times Monday, Georgetown law professors Neal Katyal and Joshua Geltzer and former Republican congressman Mickey Edwards disputed the notion that Roberts' role in the Senate impeachment trial is "largely honorific."
"If there were any doubt, recall the language of the Constitution, which orders that, in an impeachment trial of the president, 'the chief justice shall preside,'" Katyal, Geltzer, and Edwards wrote. "To 'preside' is not a merely symbolic role."
The trio called on House Democratic impeachment managers to "ask the chief justice to issue subpoenas on his authority so that key witnesses of relevance like John Bolton and [Acting Chief of Staff] Mick Mulvaney appear in the Senate, and the Senate should subpoena all relevant documents as well."
"This isn't a matter of Democrats needing four 'moderate' Republicans to vote for subpoenas and witnesses, as the Trump lawyers have been claiming," said Katyal, Geltzer, and Edwards. "Rather, the impeachment rules, like all trial systems, put a large thumb on the scale of issuing subpoenas and place that power within the authority of the judge, in this case the chief justice."
Demand Justice echoed the demands outlined in the Times op-ed, encouraging "Americans to call the Supreme Court and tell Roberts to both ensure a fair trial by ruling in favor of a motion to hear testimony from all relevant witnesses."
"So far, Chief Justice Roberts has shown more concern for [Maine Republican Sen.] Susan Collins' feelings than for ensuring a legitimate impeachment inquiry," Fallon said in a statement, referring to Roberts' decision to admonish both House impeachment managers and Trump's counsel after Collins complained about comments by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who last week accused GOP senators of abetting a cover-up.
"Roberts has a responsibility to preside over a fair trial, and that means a trial where jurors actually listen to evidence and relevant witnesses are heard from," said Fallon. "It's time for him to do his job instead of enabling McConnell's cover-up operation."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Progressives have a message for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is currently presiding over President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial: "Do your job" and stop enabling Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's "cover-up."
Court reform group Demand Justice launched a digital ad campaign Monday urging the U.S. public to flood the Supreme Court with calls demanding that Roberts use his Constitutional authority to subpoena witnesses such as former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
"Roberts shouldn't get a free pass as he goes along with McConnell's sham trial."
--Brian Fallon, Demand Justice
As Common Dreams reported Sunday, Bolton alleges in an unpublished book manuscript that Trump wanted to keep Ukraine aid frozen to pressure that country's government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.
The White House and Senate Republicans, led by McConnell, have thus far blocked witnesses from testifying in the impeachment trial, reportedly out of fear that allowing one witness could open the "floodgates" for others.
"Roberts shouldn't get a free pass as he goes along with McConnell's sham trial," tweeted Demand Justice executive director Brian Fallon. "If Republicans won't commit to letting witnesses like Bolton testify, Roberts can rule in favor of a motion to subpoena those witnesses and force the GOP to try to overrule him."
Overruling the chief justice would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
\u201cJohn Roberts\u2019 job is to preside over a fair trial, where relevant witnesses are heard from and jurors actually listen to the evidence.\n\nRight now, he\u2019s helping Republicans break the rules and cover for Trump. That has to end.\n\nCall Roberts at 202-479-3000. Tell him to do his job.\u201d— Demand Justice (@Demand Justice) 1580144220
In an op-ed for the New York Times Monday, Georgetown law professors Neal Katyal and Joshua Geltzer and former Republican congressman Mickey Edwards disputed the notion that Roberts' role in the Senate impeachment trial is "largely honorific."
"If there were any doubt, recall the language of the Constitution, which orders that, in an impeachment trial of the president, 'the chief justice shall preside,'" Katyal, Geltzer, and Edwards wrote. "To 'preside' is not a merely symbolic role."
The trio called on House Democratic impeachment managers to "ask the chief justice to issue subpoenas on his authority so that key witnesses of relevance like John Bolton and [Acting Chief of Staff] Mick Mulvaney appear in the Senate, and the Senate should subpoena all relevant documents as well."
"This isn't a matter of Democrats needing four 'moderate' Republicans to vote for subpoenas and witnesses, as the Trump lawyers have been claiming," said Katyal, Geltzer, and Edwards. "Rather, the impeachment rules, like all trial systems, put a large thumb on the scale of issuing subpoenas and place that power within the authority of the judge, in this case the chief justice."
Demand Justice echoed the demands outlined in the Times op-ed, encouraging "Americans to call the Supreme Court and tell Roberts to both ensure a fair trial by ruling in favor of a motion to hear testimony from all relevant witnesses."
"So far, Chief Justice Roberts has shown more concern for [Maine Republican Sen.] Susan Collins' feelings than for ensuring a legitimate impeachment inquiry," Fallon said in a statement, referring to Roberts' decision to admonish both House impeachment managers and Trump's counsel after Collins complained about comments by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who last week accused GOP senators of abetting a cover-up.
"Roberts has a responsibility to preside over a fair trial, and that means a trial where jurors actually listen to evidence and relevant witnesses are heard from," said Fallon. "It's time for him to do his job instead of enabling McConnell's cover-up operation."
Progressives have a message for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is currently presiding over President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial: "Do your job" and stop enabling Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's "cover-up."
Court reform group Demand Justice launched a digital ad campaign Monday urging the U.S. public to flood the Supreme Court with calls demanding that Roberts use his Constitutional authority to subpoena witnesses such as former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
"Roberts shouldn't get a free pass as he goes along with McConnell's sham trial."
--Brian Fallon, Demand Justice
As Common Dreams reported Sunday, Bolton alleges in an unpublished book manuscript that Trump wanted to keep Ukraine aid frozen to pressure that country's government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.
The White House and Senate Republicans, led by McConnell, have thus far blocked witnesses from testifying in the impeachment trial, reportedly out of fear that allowing one witness could open the "floodgates" for others.
"Roberts shouldn't get a free pass as he goes along with McConnell's sham trial," tweeted Demand Justice executive director Brian Fallon. "If Republicans won't commit to letting witnesses like Bolton testify, Roberts can rule in favor of a motion to subpoena those witnesses and force the GOP to try to overrule him."
Overruling the chief justice would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
\u201cJohn Roberts\u2019 job is to preside over a fair trial, where relevant witnesses are heard from and jurors actually listen to the evidence.\n\nRight now, he\u2019s helping Republicans break the rules and cover for Trump. That has to end.\n\nCall Roberts at 202-479-3000. Tell him to do his job.\u201d— Demand Justice (@Demand Justice) 1580144220
In an op-ed for the New York Times Monday, Georgetown law professors Neal Katyal and Joshua Geltzer and former Republican congressman Mickey Edwards disputed the notion that Roberts' role in the Senate impeachment trial is "largely honorific."
"If there were any doubt, recall the language of the Constitution, which orders that, in an impeachment trial of the president, 'the chief justice shall preside,'" Katyal, Geltzer, and Edwards wrote. "To 'preside' is not a merely symbolic role."
The trio called on House Democratic impeachment managers to "ask the chief justice to issue subpoenas on his authority so that key witnesses of relevance like John Bolton and [Acting Chief of Staff] Mick Mulvaney appear in the Senate, and the Senate should subpoena all relevant documents as well."
"This isn't a matter of Democrats needing four 'moderate' Republicans to vote for subpoenas and witnesses, as the Trump lawyers have been claiming," said Katyal, Geltzer, and Edwards. "Rather, the impeachment rules, like all trial systems, put a large thumb on the scale of issuing subpoenas and place that power within the authority of the judge, in this case the chief justice."
Demand Justice echoed the demands outlined in the Times op-ed, encouraging "Americans to call the Supreme Court and tell Roberts to both ensure a fair trial by ruling in favor of a motion to hear testimony from all relevant witnesses."
"So far, Chief Justice Roberts has shown more concern for [Maine Republican Sen.] Susan Collins' feelings than for ensuring a legitimate impeachment inquiry," Fallon said in a statement, referring to Roberts' decision to admonish both House impeachment managers and Trump's counsel after Collins complained about comments by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who last week accused GOP senators of abetting a cover-up.
"Roberts has a responsibility to preside over a fair trial, and that means a trial where jurors actually listen to evidence and relevant witnesses are heard from," said Fallon. "It's time for him to do his job instead of enabling McConnell's cover-up operation."