2020 Presidential Election

[ClemmonsDevil]

I haven't been following this thread at all since the election, so this may have been covered ad nauseum for all I know, and if it has, I apologize in advance. My question is this: is it constitutional to impeach somebody who is not in office? And is it ok for the Senate to hold a trial for a private citizen of the United States? Because by the time this thing gets to trial, thankfully that's what Trump will be.
Just genuinely curious and without a clue in the world.

Listened to this this morning. Short answer: maybe. Long answer: there is precedent.
What OPK said(HIIFAL He Is In Fact A Lawyer).

[MChambers]

It has happened once, to Grant’s Secretary of War (he resigned minutes before he was impeached; the House impeached anyway and there was a Senate trial but no conviction there). But not tested in court.

You could support legal arguments either way. My read is that the Senate has the power to do it if it wants FWIW.

Larry Tribe wrote a piece in the Washington Post last week arguing that the Senate has the power. I thought he was right.

[OldPhiKap]

Larry Tribe wrote a piece in the Washington Post last week arguing that the Senate has the power. I thought he was right.

Here’s my question:

The Chief Justice presides over the impeachment of the President, otherwise the Vice President does. Which applies here, given that Trump will not be President by the time the trial is held?

[cspan37421]

Wonder if he thinks Nick Saban would become president?

and that Cutcliffe would have to be somewhere down there in the line of succession.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

and that Cutcliffe would have to be somewhere down there in the line of succession.

Only if he can bring his own staff

[CameronBornAndBred]

Here’s my question:

The Chief Justice presides over the impeachment of the President, otherwise the Vice President does. Which applies here, given that Trump will not be President by the time the trial is held?

It's still the impeachment of the President.

[bundabergdevil]

A book I'm reading about the Spanish Flu (and that came out pre-COVID) had this curious note:

"In this global reshuffle, some fell through the cracks: long-term invalids, including melancholics, who could no longer work, and who were misunderstood as war veterans...Some were caught in a very fragile, very threadbare safety net. Among them were the lucky beneficiaries of life insurance polices: the US life insurance paid out nearly $100 million in claims after the pandemic - the equivalent of $20 billion today. Other had been named in wills. Upon the death from flu of one German immigrant to America, for example, his widow and son received a sum of money. They invested it in property, and today the immigrant's grandson is a property magnate purportedly worth billions. His name is Donald Trump."

[Kdogg]

It’s being reported that Trump will NOT pardon himself or family members. Advisors have told him it would look bad for the impeachment trial. I don’t buy it.

[Furniture]

Just not sure which thread to post this in. Decisions, decisions.

"Trump lifting COVID-19 travel restrictions on Europe, UK, Brazil"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...PoL?li=BBnb7Kz

Biden says not so fast..

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/18/polit...ons/index.html

Biden is set to take over the presidency on Wednesday and his incoming press secretary, Jen Psaki, said that his administration would not lift the restrictions.
"With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel," Psaki said on Twitter. "On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26. In fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19."

[CameronBornAndBred]

It’s being reported that Trump will NOT pardon himself or family members. Advisors have told him it would look bad for the impeachment trial. I don’t buy it.

All the Trump kids...

"Way to go Dad! You had only 3 weeks left not to make things worse!"

[Kdogg]

All the Trump kids...

"Way to go Dad! You had only 3 weeks left not to make things worse!"

Let's be fair, it's unlikely Tiffany and Barron broke any federal laws.

[bundabergdevil]

WaPo has in their update feed that Trump has taped his farewell address and that it will be released tomorrow. No new reporting to suggest Trump will attend inauguration, welcome the Bidens to the White House, leave a letter wishing Biden well, or engage in any of the other transfer of power norms and traditions.

I believe this will be the first time since Johnson/Grant that an outgoing president has not attended his successor's inauguration. And, of course, we aren't actually having a peaceful transfer of power.

Really hope the next couple of days are anti-climatic.

[sagegrouse]

WaPo has in their update feed that Trump has taped his farewell address and that it will be released tomorrow. No new reporting to suggest Trump will attend inauguration, welcome the Bidens to the White House, leave a letter wishing Biden well, or engage in any of the other transfer of power norms and traditions.

I believe this will be the first time since Johnson/Grant that an outgoing president has not attended his successor's inauguration. And, of course, we aren't actually having a peaceful transfer of power.

Really hope the next couple of days are anti-climatic.

Ah, yes the "Picayune" is not just an old newspaper in New Orleans:

Woodrow Wilson road in the car with Harding but, in failing health, was physically unable to mount the steps to the Capitol.

Nixon did not attend Ford's swearing in.

[lotusland]

WaPo has in their update feed that Trump has taped his farewell address and that it will be released tomorrow. No new reporting to suggest Trump will attend inauguration, welcome the Bidens to the White House, leave a letter wishing Biden well, or engage in any of the other transfer of power norms and traditions.

I believe this will be the first time since Johnson/Grant that an outgoing president has not attended his successor's inauguration. And, of course, we aren't actually having a peaceful transfer of power.

Really hope the next couple of days are anti-climatic.

This is why I think impeachment was a brilliant move. Trump’s address will likely be directed to Senators as well as his supporters. In fact everything he has said and done since the capital insurrection has been less Trumpy because of the teal treat of being convicted by the a Senate.

[OldPhiKap]

Nixon did not attend Ford's swearing in.

In that vein, Kennedy did not attend Johnson’s either.

So, I guess we could say that every president who did not die in office or leave it in disgrace has attended his successor’s inauguration since JQ Adams.

[OldPhiKap]

This is why I think impeachment was a brilliant move. Trump’s address will likely be directed to Senators as well as his supporters. In fact everything he has said and done since the capital insurrection has been less Trumpy because of the teal treat of being convicted by the a Senate.

And the lack of Twitter has been a YUGE muzzle. He can’t randomly vent, lie, or spew venom as his randomly-firing synapses may so move his little fingers.

[budwom]

In that vein, Kennedy did not attend Johnson’s either.

So, I guess we could say that every president who did not die in office or leave it in disgrace has attended his successor’s inauguration since JQ Adams.

In a sordid manner, I do believe JFK did attend Johnson's swearing in, as Jackie wouldn't leave Dallas without his body which I believe was in Air Force One...

[sagegrouse]

In that vein, Kennedy did not attend Johnson’s either.

So, I guess we could say that every president who did not die in office or leave it in disgrace has attended his successor’s inauguration since JQ Adams.

But, of course, his casket was on the plane when LBJ was sworn in. It had to be, for Mrs. Kennedy to be there and attend the swearing in.

[Lord Ash]

Guys... come on now.

[OldPhiKap]

Too soon?

Anyway, two things I am watching in the next/last 26.25 hours of the Trump presidency.

1. Pardons -- close to 100 expected today. Most reporting is that he will not self-pardon, nor pardon his family or Rudy. That can always change and who knows how accurate reporting on such things is at present. (Will the Tiger King make the cut? He's been openly begging on Twitter for months).

2. Departure crowd size -- Trump is trying to get a huge crowd to see him off early tomorrow morning in the cold out at Andrews. Word is, RSVP's are pretty light. This is only intersting to watch for me in that Trump sees crowd size as a proxy for his popularity.

On other interesting news (to me at least) -- tomorrow afternoon/evening, Biden will be joined by Obama, W, and Clinton at Arlington to lay a wreath at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. I bet they will have an interesting conversation tomorrow to say the least. Also, tomorrow morning, the Big Four will be joining Biden at a Catholic church service and AFAIK all intend to attend.