“I Have Been Traduced”: Trump’s Moves Against Impeachment Witnesses Are Neither Unlawful Nor Unprece

[rangerrebew]

“I Have Been Traduced”: Trump’s Moves Against Impeachment Witnesses Are Neither Unlawful Nor Unprecedented

Below is my column in the Washington Post on the continuing controversy over the actions taken against impeachment witnesses by President Donald Trump. I recently explained that these actions are not, as claiming on CNN, clear criminal acts of witness retaliation. While I was critical of the moves, this column addresses why they are neither unlawful nor unprecedented.

Here is the column:

“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.” Those words, from the fictional Capt. John Yossarian in Joseph Heller’s satiric novel “Catch-22,” could well have come from President Trump. Trump’s move against two impeachment witnesses (and a third man, the twin brother of one of the witnesses) has enraged and struck many as pure retaliation, and has led to calls for criminal and oversight investigations. Yet, while I believe that actions taken against Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union, and National Security Council staffer Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman were wrong, they are both legal and not unprecedented.

https://jonathanturley.org/2020/02/14/i-have-been-traduced-trumps-moves-against-impeachment-witnesses-are-neither-unlawful-nor-unprecedented/

[Cyber Liberty]

Turley's criticism of the firings seems to be all about optics.  The Counselor should stick to legal arguments.  He completely missed why Yevgany Vindeman was fired, which was he leaked Bolton's book so it could be sprung on the Senate by the NYT as a means of derailing the certain acquittal.

[PeteS in CA]

1. Such officials serve at the discretion of the President. No explanation for firings are required. (In Vindmans' cases, transfers)

2. "I can't trust you," is an entirely proper and sufficient reason for such firings/transfers.