• Melllvar@startrek.website
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      45
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      Impeachment is expressly not a criminal procedure. It can’t result in prison or fines, nor can it can’t be pardoned by the President.

      • DigitalFrank@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        26
        ·
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        But it is the process by which a candidate can be removed from the ballot.

        So if you want to go with Trump is criminally guilty of insurrection, and therefore ineligible to be on the ballot, when and where was the trial?

        • Melllvar@startrek.website
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          20
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          Being convicted of a crime doesn’t disqualify anyone; people have run for President from prison. And most of the people who attacked Congress on Jan. 6 would not be disqualified for it even if they are convicted of a crime for it.

          Disqualification is not a criminal punishment. It’s not a crime to be 34 years old, for example, or to have been born in another country. But those are still disqualifications, and they are and always have been enforced by the states.

          • DigitalFrank@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            11
            ·
            8 months ago

            The specific crimes I was thinking of were: impeachment for high crimes and misdemeanors or criminal conviction for treason.

            • Melllvar@startrek.website
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              9
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              8 months ago

              “High crimes and misdemeanors” is a term of art that refers to acts committed by a public official which, while not necessarily a crime in themselves, are a violation of public trust.

              For example, a president that accepted a foreign title of nobility without Congressional consent would have committed a high crime, but they couldn’t be hauled into a criminal court for it.

              • DigitalFrank@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                11
                ·
                8 months ago

                Right.

                Congress would control that, just like determining an insurrection was committed.

                They didn’t do that.

                The media did.

                • Melllvar@startrek.website
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  10
                  ·
                  8 months ago

                  The only thing Congress can do is remove Trump’s disqualification under the 14th amendment. They can’t decide whether he’s disqualified in the first place.

                  • DigitalFrank@lemmy.world
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    arrow-down
                    12
                    ·
                    8 months ago

                    The could have impeached him (again). And if the Senate convicted, he would have been ineligible to run again.

          • DigitalFrank@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            10
            ·
            8 months ago

            One judge “finds” he did it. What a lovely country we would have if that’s all it took. No defense, no evidence needed. Just a judges opinion.

            Short slope to a work camp. Maybe we could sort of concentrate all the people we disagree with in one.

            • Optional@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              5
              ·
              8 months ago

              All fair points that still ignore the guy who tried to overthrow the country where absolutely nothing was done about him, to hold him accountable.

              If the feds are saying only they can protect the country from all enemies orange and domestic, there’s about 80 million active voters who might, uh, decidedly disagree. As opposed to some other adverb.

              • jj4211@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                2
                ·
                8 months ago

                Point is that if the three blue states disqualify without a federal ruling and that stands, then you can bet a bunch of red states will declare Biden disqualified because he stole the election or some crap.

                The place to direct frustration is the federal government for failing to make the requisite determination. Not at the unanimous supreme court decision that prevents chaotic behavior by the states with respect to federal races. There should be consistency state to state as to whether a candidate is fundamentally qualified or not.

              • DigitalFrank@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                11
                ·
                8 months ago

                If O’l Joe has 80 million voters, why are you worried about Trump being on the ballot? He can’t possibly win.