‘Fatal Mistake’: Democrats Blame DOJ As Trump Escapes Accountability For Jan. 6
www.huffpost.com
“Merrick Garland wasted a year,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler said ahead of the fourth anniversary of the 2021 Capitol riot.

Summary

Democrats blame Attorney General Merrick Garland for delaying prosecution of Donald Trump over the January 6 Capitol attack, allowing him to win reelection before facing trial.

Critics argue Garland wasted critical time before appointing a special prosecutor in late 2022, enabling Trump to evade accountability due to DOJ policy barring prosecution of sitting presidents.

While Trump faces ongoing civil lawsuits, his return to power threatens pardons for convicted rioters and continued revisionism about the attack.

Despite public disapproval of Trump’s actions, he successfully leveraged misinformation to regain the presidency.

  • derek@infosec.pub
    471·
    4 days ago

    It’s not too late. The 14th amendment Section 3 specifically prohibits an insurrectionist from holding public office unless a special Congressional vote is held and passes with a 2/3rds majority.

    Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

    All US citizens should call their representatives and demand they uphold their sworn Constitutional duty to refuse the certification of Donald Trump’s victory as he is disqualified from holding office.

    This is not speculation. Donald Trump was successfully impeached for inciting insurrection. The US is in the middle of a Constitutional crisis which Congress must resolve.

    Finding your reps is easy. Go here:

    https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

    Either let the site use your location or enter your home address. It’ll pull all the info you need in one click.

    • Nastybutler@lemmy.world
      38·
      4 days ago

      He was impeached but not convicted by the feckless, obsequious Senate. And he wasn’t convicted by the courts. So this won’t happen, unfortunately

      • derek@infosec.pub
        1·
        3 days ago

        Neither of those facts preclude the application of the 14th. The barrier is whether or not someone holding public office, having taken an oath to uphold the Constitution, breaks that oath via insurrection against the same. It does not matter that Trump was not punished. The acquittal does not erase the reality of the past: it is a dismissal of immediate consequences. Nothing more.

        The fact that Congress acknowledged the reality of January 6th is more than enough for the 14th to apply.

    • sylver_dragon@lemmy.worldEnglish
      11·
      4 days ago

      This is not speculation. Donald Trump was successfully impeached for inciting insurrection.

      Did you stop reading your link at the title? Literally the third sentence:

      On February 13, 2021, the Senate voted to acquit Trump on the article of impeachment.

      If you want to dig into the arguments about what is and isn’t legally insurrection and if the 14th Amendment is self executing or not, that is an interesting discussion. But, don’t lead with a “pants on head” stupid argument that the House passed Articles of Impeachment, for which the Senate acquitted him, as evidence that the 14th Amendment applies. Just fucking no.

      • derek@infosec.pub
        1·
        3 days ago

        Nope. I read it. The language of the 14th doesn’t require an impeachment or other formal conviction to apply. The fact that Trump was successfully impeached for inciting an insurrection is enough. The Senate’s failure to execute its duty does not erase reality.

        At this time, on this topic, I am not concerned with what makes for interesting conservation. I am interested in bringing attention to the ongoing Constitutional crisis of Trump’s tentative second term.