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Clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson and House Sergeant-at-Arms Tim Blodgett lead the Democratic House impeachment managers as they deliver to the Senate the article of impeachment against former President Donald Trump, in Washington, D.C. on January 25, 2021. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
'Perjury City': Trump Refuses to Testify in Upcoming Senate Impeachment Trial
"Trump won't testify because he is a coward and also because there is no question he would incriminate himself. If his lawyers know one thing, it is that he is incapable of telling the truth."
Feb 03, 2021
Just hours after Democratic House impeachment managers on Thursday called upon Donald Trump to provide testimony under oath about his actions on January 6--the day that a mob of his inflamed supporters launched a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol--the former president defiantly declined to testify at his impending Senate trial.
"The Senate should subpoena Trump. His testimony is highly relevant. If he refuses to appear, the Senate can consider that along with the other evidence before it."
--Renato Mariotti,
former federal prosecutor
"We are in receipt of your latest public relations stunt," wrote Trump attorneys Bruce Castor and David Schoen in a letter to Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the lead impeachment manager. "You cannot prove your allegations against the 45th president of the United States, who is now a private citizen."
"The use of our Constitution to bring a purported impeachment proceeding is much too serious to try to play these games," the letter added.
Earlier Thursday, Raskin had sent a letter of his own to Trump and his attorneys accusing the former president of denying "many factual allegations set forth in the article of impeachment" and warning that the managers "reserve any and all rights, including the right to establish at trial that your refusal to testify supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021."
On January 13, the House impeached Trump for a historic second time for inciting the Capitol attack.
House impeachment managers on Tuesday filed a pretrial memo laying out their case for convicting Trump, whom they said bears "singular responsibility" for inciting the murderous mob.
Instead of accepting defeat, the brief says, Trump "summoned a mob to Washington, exhorted them into a frenzy, and aimed them like a loaded cannon down Pennsylvania Avenue."
Oral arguments in Trump's Senate impeachment trial are set to begin on February 9.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Just hours after Democratic House impeachment managers on Thursday called upon Donald Trump to provide testimony under oath about his actions on January 6--the day that a mob of his inflamed supporters launched a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol--the former president defiantly declined to testify at his impending Senate trial.
"The Senate should subpoena Trump. His testimony is highly relevant. If he refuses to appear, the Senate can consider that along with the other evidence before it."
--Renato Mariotti,
former federal prosecutor
"We are in receipt of your latest public relations stunt," wrote Trump attorneys Bruce Castor and David Schoen in a letter to Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the lead impeachment manager. "You cannot prove your allegations against the 45th president of the United States, who is now a private citizen."
"The use of our Constitution to bring a purported impeachment proceeding is much too serious to try to play these games," the letter added.
Earlier Thursday, Raskin had sent a letter of his own to Trump and his attorneys accusing the former president of denying "many factual allegations set forth in the article of impeachment" and warning that the managers "reserve any and all rights, including the right to establish at trial that your refusal to testify supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021."
On January 13, the House impeached Trump for a historic second time for inciting the Capitol attack.
House impeachment managers on Tuesday filed a pretrial memo laying out their case for convicting Trump, whom they said bears "singular responsibility" for inciting the murderous mob.
Instead of accepting defeat, the brief says, Trump "summoned a mob to Washington, exhorted them into a frenzy, and aimed them like a loaded cannon down Pennsylvania Avenue."
Oral arguments in Trump's Senate impeachment trial are set to begin on February 9.
Just hours after Democratic House impeachment managers on Thursday called upon Donald Trump to provide testimony under oath about his actions on January 6--the day that a mob of his inflamed supporters launched a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol--the former president defiantly declined to testify at his impending Senate trial.
"The Senate should subpoena Trump. His testimony is highly relevant. If he refuses to appear, the Senate can consider that along with the other evidence before it."
--Renato Mariotti,
former federal prosecutor
"We are in receipt of your latest public relations stunt," wrote Trump attorneys Bruce Castor and David Schoen in a letter to Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the lead impeachment manager. "You cannot prove your allegations against the 45th president of the United States, who is now a private citizen."
"The use of our Constitution to bring a purported impeachment proceeding is much too serious to try to play these games," the letter added.
Earlier Thursday, Raskin had sent a letter of his own to Trump and his attorneys accusing the former president of denying "many factual allegations set forth in the article of impeachment" and warning that the managers "reserve any and all rights, including the right to establish at trial that your refusal to testify supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021."
On January 13, the House impeached Trump for a historic second time for inciting the Capitol attack.
House impeachment managers on Tuesday filed a pretrial memo laying out their case for convicting Trump, whom they said bears "singular responsibility" for inciting the murderous mob.
Instead of accepting defeat, the brief says, Trump "summoned a mob to Washington, exhorted them into a frenzy, and aimed them like a loaded cannon down Pennsylvania Avenue."
Oral arguments in Trump's Senate impeachment trial are set to begin on February 9.
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