Both sides in Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial quoted the Federalist Papers in arguing for and against removing the president.
But Trump’s GOP “is what the papers warned against – a popular faction with many followers, led by a demagogue seeking to destroy freedom and the rule of law,” said Bill Mulligan, a retired Murray State University history professor.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Trump’s GOP is what the Federalist papers warned against – a popular faction with many followers, led by a demagogue seeking to destroy freedom and the rule of law. – Professor Bill Mulligan” quote=”Trump’s GOP is what the Federalist papers warned against – a popular faction with many followers, led by a demagogue seeking to destroy freedom and the rule of law. – Professor Bill Mulligan”]
Mulligan doesn’t mince words. Trump’s “defense team tried to undermine 200-plus years of law and tradition.” He dismissed as “absurd on its face” Trump lawyer Alan Dershowitz’s claim that under the constitution, presidents can’t be ousted for doing something they think could help them win another term.
Dershowitz is a retired Harvard Law School professor famous for defending celebrity clients in high-profile trials. “Fancy credentials and no familiarity with the Constitutional Convention, the ratification debates, or the earlier debate over the nature of government leading up to the Revolution – I’m no longer disappointed that I never got to study at Harvard,” Mulligan said.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”(On Dershowitz) No familiarity with the Constitutional Convention, the ratification debates, or the earlier debate over the nature of government — I’m no longer disappointed that I never got to study at Harvard. – Professor Bill Mulligan” quote=”(On Dershowitz) No familiarity with the Constitutional Convention, the ratification debates, or the earlier debate over the nature of government — I’m no longer disappointed that I never got to study at Harvard. – Professor Bill Mulligan”]
“The whole point of the Revolution — the debate leading up to the war — was that the king and parliament were abusing their power and oppressing the colonists. There was a great deal of discussion at the Constitutional Convention and in the state ratification conventions about the potential for abuse of power by the president and, in many states, the federal government itself. The checks and balanced and impeachment were meant to prevent, and if necessary stop, abuse of power. The Founders were very concerned about abuse of power as the great threat to liberty.”
All 53 Republican senators voted to acquit Trump on the second article of impeachment – obstructing Congress. But Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) found Trump guilty on the first article – abuse of power.
“I gained respect for Mitt Romney and, in very real way, his Mormon religion,” Mulligan said. “His remarks upheld the highest moral and ethical standards of his beliefs, which cannot be said of all his colleagues. I’m not saying he’s perfect, but he got this partly right and showed some integrity, which is sadly lacking in the GOP.”
The other Republican senators stuck together because they’re afraid to cross Trump, according to Mulligan. “Trump has proven he can destroy Republican careers. So fear and survival take over.”
He said subservience to Trump “is a consequence of the increased professional nature of politics. Most politicians never really had a non-political career. Office-to-office, ever upward – poll everything and toe the line.
“They are very susceptible to bullying because they lack core principles that go beyond holding office. So between Trump and [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell, they are supine.”
[click_to_tweet tweet=”The Republicans are very susceptible to bullying because they lack core principles that go beyond holding office. So between Trump and McConnell, they are supine. – Professor Bill Mulligan” quote=”The Republicans are very susceptible to bullying because they lack core principles that go beyond holding office. So between Trump and McConnell, they are supine. – Professor Bill Mulligan”]
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