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You are here: Home / Politics / Impeachment / Impeach the Motherfucker! / Lawyer lawsuits and other horseshit

Lawyer lawsuits and other horseshit

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If you were puzzled by Trump impeachment lawyer Jay Sekulow’s odd rant about “lawyer lawsuits” yesterday, you’re not alone. Turns out he misunderstood Rep. Val Demings’ reference to “FOIA lawsuits” and wasted several minutes of the Senate’s time on a moronic non-issue:

The Post has a story about it here: An embarrassing moment for Trump’s legal team.

Appearing shortly after 6 p.m. on the Senate floor, Trump’s longtime personal lawyer Jay Sekulow offered an indignant rebuke of the Democrats’ impeachment managers. What he was so incensed about: that they had allegedly referred to “lawyer lawsuits” in prosecuting the case against Trump.

“And by the way — lawyer lawsuits?” Sekulow began. “Lawyer lawsuits? We’re talking about the impeachment of a president of the United States, duly elected, and the members — the managers are complaining about lawyer lawsuits? The Constitution allows lawyer lawsuits. It’s disrespecting the Constitution of the United States to even say that in this chamber — lawyer lawsuits…”

What’s even more remarkable about the flap is that the White House actually stood by Sekulow’s allegation. Asked about the remark by reporters later in the night, White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland reportedly walked away, only to return a while later — apparently after checking? — and suggest that Sekulow had not erred.

Make a monumentally dumb error, then double down on it. How on brand is that for Team Trump?

Also, a reminder: Sekulow is a grifter who parts wingnut evangelical fools from their money via a fraudulent nonprofit. Again, SO on brand!

*****

Switching gears, Joe Biden’s campaign just released another video. It’s a long one featuring Andrew Bates, the campaign’s rapid response director — just a regular guy having a beer while explaining why Trump’s corruption accusation against Biden is self-serving horseshit. The words “horseshit” and “bullshit” are used, amplifying the regular guy down at the pub vibe…

[Points off for the green grocer apostrophes laid over Trump’s “yelicopter” dialogue at the 3:16 mark.]

 

I think Biden’s campaign ads thus far have been pretty good. This one isn’t up to their usual standard, IMO, but it’s not an ad they’re going to run on TV. They want to get the facts about Biden’s activities in Ukraine out in a relatively succinct package for people to share on Facebook, etc. It’ll probably work just fine for that. Open thread.

Reader Interactions

80Comments

  2. 2.

    waspuppet

    Make a monumentally dumb error, then double down on it. How on brand is that for Team Trump?

    The only thing more on-brand is their official defense, which is “He didn’t do it and also it’s OK that he did it,” b/w “Just because he abused his power and says on national TV that he’ll abuse his power again doesn’t mean he should lose his power.”

  4. 4.

    James E Powell

    The Post has a story about it here: An embarrassing moment for Trump’s legal team.

    Except that Trump and his people cannot be embarrassed. Bring up anything – their lies, their gross stupidity, their evil – and they will not only not be embarrassed, they will brag about it as if it were a singular great achievement.

  6. 6.

    mrmoshpotato

    @zhena gogolia: Calling all clown jackals!  Calling all clown jackals! :)

    I suggest some Netflix.  Particularly The Furchester Hotel – S1E2 – Don’t Eat The Guests.

  7. 7.

    germy

    What’s even more remarkable about the flap is that the White House actually stood by Sekulow’s allegation.

    I would expect no less.

  8. 8.

    The Dangerman

    Make a monumentally dumb error…

    …Melania, what WERE you thinking?

    On limited coffee, I’m trying to figure out how Opening Statements are going to be different than what we heard yesterday (i.e., yesterday seemed fairly comprehensive).

    Need more Joe. Coffee, not Biden (I’ve always been a Warren person, but will settle for Biden as a second)

    ETA: Also, is Bolton testifying dead or will it be the Freddy Kreuger of Senate Votes?

  11. 11.

    Mr. Longform

    I was relieved when after I heard Sekulow ranting about “lawyer lawsuits” and how they were part of the Constitution (I think maybe) and I was totally confused by what he could even mean, Adam Schiff stands up and basically says wtf?  I knew then that whatever was being babbled about was some additional stupidity from the Team Duh.  But then this morning to hear that they are totally sticking with the point (?) was the cherry on top.

  15. 15.

    smintheus

    I don’t think it has been noted here yet, but Trump stated at Davos that his impeachment defense rests upon concealing evidence:

    In an incredible exchange at Davos, @realdonaldtrump admits he is comfortable with the status of the impeachment trial because the White House is withholding evidence. "Honestly, we have all the material. They don't have the material." As always, he says the quiet part out loud. pic.twitter.com/Gk3h1QZyAi— Justin Hendrix (@justinhendrix) January 22, 2020

  16. 16.

    zhena gogolia

    @gene108:

    But once he’s acquitted they’re going to go all in on election tampering.

    They aren’t acting like people who are afraid of the ballot box.

  17. 17.

    MJS

    @zhena gogolia: Here’s my attempt. Democrats and independents are seeing through this bullshit. Some Republicans (although none with any power to do anything about it) are as well. Far more people see through this bullshit than don’t, or won’t admit to it. Everything is moving in our direction. A huge wave in the last large election. Since then, wins in two states Trump carried easily. Also in November of 2018, in my state (PA), a very bland Democrat trounced a Trump wannabe for Governor. When we focus on what shitheel Republicans are doing, we naturally get depressed. When we focus on what we’ve accomplished, and can still accomplish, we should feel energized and optimistic.

  19. 19.

    Parfigliano

    @germy: I have no doubt next DEM President using the wrong fork at dinner will be a huge scandal the media wont shut up about.

  20. 20.

    zhena gogolia

    @MJS:

    Thanks. It’s going to be an uphill fight against their cheating and lies and foreign help.

    And it’s all so unnecessary! If only people had been paying attention in 2016. Or now! People are paying no attention to this.

  23. 23.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @Betty Cracker:

    I think Biden’s campaign ads thus far have been pretty good. This one isn’t up to their usual standard, IMO, but it’s not an ad they’re going to run on TV

    Yes but: The people who will see this ad? Younger voters–millennials on down who go to places like YouTube and Reddit for their news and information. You and me will likely never see this type of stuff because we tend to go to more standard sources for our news.

    What my 23-35 year old’s tell me is that they’re seeing a lot of confusing stuff out there. They’re currently being targeted by ads, trolls and other media campaigns with the same kind of lies and disinformation we saw used against Hillary Clinton with their age groups: “he’s corrupt”, “got his kid a job he didn’t deserve”, “he voted for the Iraq war”, “he’s too cozy with rich people on Wall Street”, “Bernie speaks from the heart, Biden just says whatever it takes to get him elected”, and so on and so on.

    FWIW I think this video is pretty good for it’s purpose. Short and to the point, easy to share on your phone with your friends, an appealing guy in their age range.  It has the potential to be a great push back against the firehose of shit-laced lies coming out of the Trump/Russia/Saudi campaign directed at younger voters who don’t have the time or inclination to be the kind of detail seekers we older political junkies are.

  24. 24.

    RandomMonster

    @Betty You’re a tougher media critic than I am. I thought the video was good. I was surprised at how much content it actually contained.

  25. 25.

    kindness

    Good ad.  It’s longer than 15 seconds so Trump and most his base won’t hold their attention on the whole thing.  But regular Americans probably will.

  31. 31.

    Emerald

    @MJS: I’m fairly sure that they have not managed to rig the November election. Otherwise why go to such elaborate lengths to smear Biden?

  32. 32.

    MJS

    @Emerald: Agreed. I get what zhena is saying, because Mitch McConnell acts like he’s not concerned about voters, at all. But Trump is clearly very concerned about what voters see and hear.

  36. 36.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @jeffreyw: A buddy of mine had a Jekyll/Hyde terrier a little larger than that. It could be a real sweety, and then…

    Sitting around the fire one night I found him under my legs trying to get my attention. I picked him up and set him on my lap and started petting him. After about 5 mins he turned around and bit me on the lip.

    No warning, no growl, nothing, just turned around and bit me.

    He was such a little shit. The dog is a legend among Misery cavers.

  38. 38.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @zhena gogolia:

    People are paying no attention to this.

    Some people may not be paying attention, but many people are. And many are doing the organizing work for 2020 that isn’t yet visible, but which I’m confident will bear fruit in November.

    Perhaps you could consider doing some volunteer work, if you’re not already? Postcards to Voters, for example, only takes as much time as you’re able to give it, but you’ll have done something worthwhile and will probably feel better too.

    Yesterday was my down day. None of us are immune. I hope your skies get sunnier soon.

  40. 40.

    Heywood J.

    Sekulow moonlights as a drummer with a couple of former members of Kansas. He’s probably going partially deaf — not from playing drums, but from having his bulbous head stuck so far up Trump’s ass for so long.

  41. 41.

    Yutsano

    @MJS: He’s not concerned about HIS voters, since, well, Kentucky. The rest of the nation he couldn’t give two shits about unless he’s going to lose his majority. And he is definitely acting like a man who isn’t going to lose his majority.

  42. 42.

    Barbara

    @Joe Falco: Grifters gotta grift.  The campaign donation grift must be drying up.  No doubt she will be trying to raise money to fund the lawsuit any day now.

  45. 45.

    Betty Cracker

    @bemused: Yep. That’s what bullies do. A lack of confidence underlies it all, IMO. Same with Trump. He seems completely shameless, but it’s an act. He cares very much what other people think — it’s all he really cares about. He has no sense of self; everything is a reflection. That’s my amateur psychological opinion.

  47. 47.

    Formerly disgruntled in Oregon

    That Biden video was pretty excellent, imho. Nice job. Good use of time and money. Hope it gets lots of views.

  48. 48.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Joe Falco: Good luck with that. The newspaper involved says they got it wrong and she didn’t do that.

    Oh wait, Tulsi is just in it to make herself look good and to make Democrats look bad? Huh. That’s news. :)

  49. 49.

    Immanentize

    OK,  I had an insight at the dead end of the morning thread:

    Justice Roberts is the Judge Ito of Impeachment.

    He is!  Unable to control anything and only able to issue bothsider mewings after midnight.  Roberts = Ito.

     

    Like Wonkette used to say:

    MUST CREDIT IMM

     

    ETA.  I gotta catch a train.  Be back later.

  51. 51.

    zhena gogolia

    @O. Felix Culpa:

    I tried going on one of those postcards things, but you had to have a smartphone, which I don’t.

    I did postcards for the ACLU (they had to be nonpartisan, just urging people to vote), which I’ll do again if they have that campaign. It was very easy.

    I’m on monthly donations to Ditch Mitch, Amy McGrath, and Sara Gideon, and will probably set one up for Mark Kelly. I donated a lot to Kamala Harris, and a little to Castro and Buttigieg, but will probably wait until we have a nominee to continue donating (although I did send a donation to Biden on behalf of my husband).

    But it all feels like a drop in the bucket in the face of raw power, cruelly and shamelessly exercised, which is what we’re seeing in the Senate right now.

  52. 52.

    Betty Cracker

    @Yutsano: Can we draw any conclusions from McConnell’s behavior though? Going full cover-up is his (and the Republicans’) only play, right? Unless they know for a fact Bolton will go full Frank Pentangeli (and I would not put it past the walrus), they can’t cave on witnesses or the whole house of cards collapses, and they go down with it. So they’ll do the usual dance with Collins, Romney, etc.

  54. 54.

    Another Scott

    @zhena gogolia: Donnie “won” in 2016 because of voter suppression and too many good people being complacent.

    We won’t make that mistake again.  From the Women’s March in 2017 until today, there’s no sign that people are less angry or less determined to vote the monsters out.

    Support groups like FRRC that are doing the work in the trenches in spite of the roadblocks.

    Do what you can and don’t get discouraged.  They want us to give up.

    Hang in there.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  55. 55.

    zhena gogolia

    @Betty Cracker:

    I’ve seen Godfather II several times, but not lately, so I had to look that up. So you think they’re going to fly Bolton’s brother in from Sicily?

  56. 56.

    randy khan

    @germy:

    I think that would be a great trade.  Indignant, offended Biden is pretty good Biden.  I’ve actually always thought that the reason the Trumpists keep saying they want Biden to testify is that they think it never would happen, not that they believe it would be good for them.  (I am open to the alternative hypothesis that they are idiots and think it would be good for them.)

  58. 58.

    gvg

    @Yutsano: I think Mitch is also a better actor or at least poker player than most of these republican idiots.  He may know the fix is in, but how would he act differently if the polls were terrible?  Its not like the GOP voters have allowed any alternative actions.

    We should try to discern how the fix is in and unfix it, because I am sure they are trying but I would not give up based on how he acts in public.

  59. 59.

    Barbara

    Zhena Gogolia — when I tried to reply directly, my comment was eaten.  It’s okay to step back.  When you are in a bumpy plane ride, the way to quell the panic is to look out at the horizon.

  60. 60.

    randy khan

    The bad quotation marks bothered me, but not nearly as much as misspelling “whistleblower.”

  62. 62.

    zhena gogolia

    @randy khan:

    Well, one of Hakeem Jeffries’s slides identified H. R. Haldeman as “Henry Hadelman.” Luckily, he said the name correctly.

    My husband said, “When he talks about Nixon, I get the impression that for him it’s like talking about Cicero or something equally ancient.”

  64. 64.

    Kent

    I gotta wonder if the House can actually turn this obvious coverup to their advantage.  Basically spend the next 9 months investigating the COVERUP.

    There are a shitload of documents yet to be seen

    There are a shitload of witnesses yet to be heard.

    The actual argument by many GOP is that this case is not yet “ripe” because we haven’t seen the court process through and that they can’t convict the president based on an incomplete case.

    So the House intelligence committee goes back and spends the next 9 months pulling on every fucking thread, subpoenaing every fucking witness, and just keeping the coverup and scandal in the the public’s attention permanently.  Because hey, the Senate had their chance to do their job and they chose coverup instead so the House now has to go back and do it for them.  Don’t even call it an impeachment investigation.  Call it something else like the Ukraine coverup investigation or something.

    That would have effects:

    1.  It would keep the spotlight on the cravenness of the vulnerable GOP Senators who chose not scream “nah nah nah” with their hands over their ears.  The more comes out the worse they look.
    2. It would keep the focus on the fact that Trump really wan’t acquitted of wrong doing.  The Senate actually didn’t hold a legitimate trial at all, and that Trump is still a criminal going into his re-election.
    3. Would immunize any future dirt against Biden related to Ukraine because it would all have the stench of presidential misconduct and foreign meddling
    4. New shit will inevitably shake out

    Basically turn the whole thing into Benghazi, except with real crimes to investigate.

  68. 68.

    johnnybuck

    @Betty Cracker: This is what I’m thinking too. Never thought we’d see anything but party line votes on amendments anyway. They’re posturing, and in my opinion trying to put the best face on a shit-show. We’ll see if it works.

  70. 70.

    Chyron HR

    @Heywood J.:

    Sekulow moonlights as a drummer with a couple of former members of Kansas.

    The Kansas Experience feat. Jay Sekulow?  I guess it beats seeing the Shambling Corpse of Chicago again.

  71. 71.

    geg6

    @zhena gogolia:

    Get involved with your local Dems.  I did just that recently and am now on their Finance and Communications committees.  It allows me to do work I have expertise in and I don’t have to knock on doors, call people or even write postcards if I don’t want to.  And it’s still very useful work.  A few meeting a month for a couple of hours in the evening is all it takes.  I have always knocked on doors and written postcards and even did some phone banking until that went out of fashion and I still will, but this is something more that I can do and it keeps me busy with party issues and not ruminating on the fucking disaster our country will be in a year or five.

  72. 72.

    bemused

    @Betty Cracker:

    Philip Rucker used the word solipsism meaning extreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one’s feelings, desires, etc. I am the only one that exists.

    Fits trump along with his spite and cruelty to anyone who doesn’t instantly adore and obey him.

    I’m no psych doc though.

  73. 73.

    Yutsano

    @Betty Cracker: I mean it’s Yertle. He’s always going to do what’s best for him in all circumstances. And keeping as little information going around about the trial and the witnesses as possible is his best call.

  76. 76.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @geg6:

    Get involved with your local Dems.  I did just that recently and am now on their Finance and Communications committees.

    I got involved with our local Dems after November 2016 and now I’m county party chair. Not sure if that’s a good outcome or not, but it keeps me busy! And more than a little crazed. :)

  78. 78.

    H.E.Wolf

    @zhena gogolia: I tried going on one of those postcards things, but you had to have a smartphone, which I don’t.

     

    I don’t know if you’ll see this, but there’s a sign-up (and participation) option for those of us with dumb phones.

    Sign up is via email or web:
    postcardstovoters.org/volunteer/

    Participation also can be done via email or a request form on their website:

    postcardstovoters.org/addresses/

    It’s a little more labor-intensive for both the user and the back-room folks, but I’ve written more than 700 postcards in this manner since last June.

    I disregard the ubiquitous plaintive notes about how lovely the texting bot is, and go merrily on my way. :)

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