Monday, December 23, 2019

Amash promoted for impeachment manager role

Opinion | A Voice of Conscience - The New York Times - David Leonhardt:
December 18, 2019 - "In the history of impeachment inquiries, members of the president’s own party who criticized him played a big role. They were often held up as voices of conscience whose criticism underscored the president’s wrongdoing.... So count me among those who hope House Democrats choose Justin Amash — the conservative Michigan congressman who recently switched from Republican to independent — to be one of their impeachment managers. Amash is evidently interested in the role, and several first-term House Democrats are pushing party leaders to select him.

"If they do so, they would be giving a high-profile role in the Senate trial to a politician who can’t easily be portrayed as just another partisan Democrat. Trump and his enablers will still try to do so, of course. But Amash increases the chances that a small number of Trump supporters and swing voters might be persuaded.... For more:
  • "Susan Hennessey, Lawfare: 'This would be a very shrewd choice. Not only is Amash a conservative, he is a very effective questioner and has a gift for rooting his analysis in core constitutional concerns.'
  • "Jamil Smith, Rolling Stone:... '@justinamash has been articulating the strategy for impeachment better than most, regardless of party. That is the best argument for this.'
  • "Marcy Wheeler, a national security journalist: 'I’m a constituent of Justin Amash … And I’m solidly in support of the idea — floated by thirty freshman Democrats — for Amash to be among the Impeachment Managers presenting the case in the Senate.... It is critical to have a voice making the conservative case for upholding the Constitution. … Well before queasy Democrats in swing districts came around to the necessity of impeaching President Trump, Amash left his party and took a stand to defend the Constitution.'
  • "Ben Mathis-Lilley of Slate on Amash:... ''His existence is a reminder that ... the case for removing Trump does not require one to hold a left-of-center belief system and is, in fact, supported by many non-Democrats. There’s no better answer to the Republican talking point about how zero Republicans support impeaching Trump than to draw attention to a person who would still be a prominent Republican if the party didn’t have a Trump loyalty requirement.'"
Libertarians eye Amash for 2020? Party chair says impeachment role could boost ex-Republican | Salon.com:
December 17, 2019 - "Adding Amash  'to the team of House impeachment managers would strengthen the presentation of evidence in the Senate trial and would be a smart move on the part of Speaker Pelosi,' Libertarian chair Nicholas Sarwark told Salon by email Monday.... Sarwark added, ... 'Libertarian Party delegates could be impressed if he does well in such a role, and it may increase calls for him to seek the Libertarian Party nomination next May at our national convention in Austin.'

'Of all the members of Congress, his positions seem to most closely match those of the Libertarian Party, so he would likely have a base of support within the party if he joins the contest that will be decided in Austin next May,' Sarwark told Salon by email in July. Amash has not ruled out the possibility."

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/opinion/trump-impeachment-justin-amash.html
Read more: https://www.salon.com/2019/12/17/libertarians-eye-amash-for-2020-party-chair-says-impeachment-role-could-boost-ex-republican/
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