[The Red Arrow]

Donald Trump's impeachment defence in disarray as lead lawyers quit
Butch Bowers clashed with Trump over strategy, according to reports, and leaves along with Deborah Barberi and three others

In a sense the resignation of Trump’s lawyers was irrelevant, because Republicans are planning to acquit Trump in any case, observed Princeton University historian Julian Zelizer.

“The ‘crisis’ over Trump’s legal team quitting assumes that the substance of the impeachment case will sway Senate Republicans,” Zelizer tweeted. “Most already have their answer. Trump could offer no defense or he can go on the floor to read lines from the Joker movie – they would still vote to acquit.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... it-reports

[crabcakes_windermere]

Donald Trump's impeachment defence in disarray as lead lawyers quit
Butch Bowers clashed with Trump over strategy, according to reports, and leaves along with Deborah Barberi and three others

In a sense the resignation of Trump’s lawyers was irrelevant, because Republicans are planning to acquit Trump in any case, observed Princeton University historian Julian Zelizer.

“The ‘crisis’ over Trump’s legal team quitting assumes that the substance of the impeachment case will sway Senate Republicans,” Zelizer tweeted. “Most already have their answer. Trump could offer no defense or he can go on the floor to read lines from the Joker movie – they would still vote to acquit.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... it-reports

While I expect the GOP do plan to acquit Trump, the point is having the trial and this time doing it properly without McConnell being able to sweep it under the rug. If they want to support Trump they are going to have to own it, in public, after the US public hear evidence of how this was planned and how things went down. Nixon wasn't looking like being impeached until his trial and until people started hearing proper facts and figures, not spin.

The 2022 midterms will already be on the radar for the republicans. If the public start to be disgusted with Trump's actions, or his defence turns out to be an embarrassment, then a few could flip and it just needs 60 (and they already have around 55). McConnell himself is currently in "go away" mode as right now that's his best option to make it go away and go away quickly. As soon as that isn't his best option, he'll flip and tell others to do so.

[Scarlet emperor]

Lindsey Graham is all over the news demanding no witnesses be called because they're not necessary and it would only stretch everything out. Ludicrously he's saying that if witnesses are called then the FBI should investigate everything that happened which will take months.
What does Trump have on Graham that makes him act like such a sycophant?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

What does Trump have on Graham that makes him act like such a sycophant?

The approval of his (Trump's) white supremacist 'base'.

[youngian]

Graham’s not the only one still indulging Trump’s court. Trump’s still a better option for the Republicans out on the stump than Hawley or Cruz.

[The Weeping Angel]

McCarthy is a Californian Republican so of course he's a pathetic craven lick spittle.

[davidjay]

What does Trump have on Graham that makes him act like such a sycophant?

Trump's side have guns.

[The Red Arrow]

Soon, my lovelies...soon.

Eric Trump attacks Scottish politicians for debate on family's golf courses

Scottish Greens want investigation of Trump finances
Trump Organization owns two courses in Scotland

US prosecutors are investigating the Trump Organization’s finances and Trump’s tax liabilities, with significant loans to Trump by Deutsche Bank worth about $340m (£249m) that become repayable in 2023 and 2024.

The Trump Organization has always been adamant that its Scottish golf courses were bought without any external financing. However, the New York Times reported that in 2016, during the presidential campaign, Trump sought a further loan from Deutsche Bank to fund his refurbishment of Turnberry, using his Doral resort in Miami as collateral.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... -turnberry

[youngian]

Confiscating Trump’s Scottish golf courses will brighten up this terrible year ahead.

Scotland's Parliament is set to vote on Wednesday on a motion calling for Donald Trump to explain how he paid for his lavish Scottish golf courses — part of an order that could ultimately lead the government to seize the courses.

The motion asks First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to issue an "unexplained wealth order" requiring Trump to explain how he paid for Turnberry and Trump International Scotland, his two luxury golf clubs in Scotland, or risk having them seized.

The so-called "McMafia" powers, introduced in the UK in 2018, allow ministers to require a person to explain the source of their wealth if there are reasonable grounds to believe they acquired properties in the UK through illicit means. If the person fails to explain the source of their wealth, those properties can be confiscated. https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-s ... der-2021-2

[Samanfur]

I haven't seen a car crash like this since Andrew Neill attempted to interview Alex Jones:

[crabcakes_windermere]

That’s not so much a car crash as an entire stock car race compressed into 5 minutes

[youngian]

The search for Republicans who haven’t lost their fucking mind. This endeavour can only be good for US democracy.

[youngian]

I haven't seen a car crash like this since Andrew Neill attempted to interview Alex Jones:

Is Mr Lindell a US Tim Martin? But twice as daft.

Mike’s overpriced big pillows are over here now. Just the thing for a pain in the neck like him. https://mypillow.co.uk/

[Bones McCoy]

[The Red Arrow]

Relevant to some islands off the coast of Northern Europe near you...

Trump left behind a monstrous predicament. Here's how to tackle it
Robert Reich

One of the nation’s two major political parties has abandoned democracy and reality. We must now move a vast swath of America back into a fact-based pro-democracy society

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... bert-reich