How We Got Here
If one is above the law, then all are.
January, 2026
Today, the top results for an internet search of “Trump impeachment” lists articles focusing on events from his second term for which impeachment has been publicly proposed, and not on the prior two impeachments.
I produced the following piece in 2020, as a record of what actually happened in the 2016 campaign and the first three years of Trump’s first term. I have added relevant links and images, otherwise it is unedited from the original.
Four [sic] years ago, Russia was running social media campaigns with the intent of causing political and social friction, to divide the American electorate.
They were laundering campaign contributions to Republican candidates through the NRA and other PAC’s.
The Trump campaign met with Russians who promised “dirt” on Clinton, and then Trump spent more than 18 months denying there was any meeting, then lying about the content, until proof of the purpose of the meeting was released publicly; then they said “nothing” came of it.
While Mueller did not find any direct cooperation between the Trump campaign and Russian election interference efforts, he did discover the Russians were providing Trump support and attacking Clinton, during the campaign. He also found that Trump obstructed justice on at least ten occasions, all related to the investigation he swore was baseless.
The very same day that Mueller made his final statement regarding his investigation and report, Trump forwarded his plan to tie Congressionally-approved foreign military aid to Ukraine to the announcement of a bogus investigation of Joe Biden’s son.
Literally extorting a foreign government to interfere in an American election, under the penalty of not being able to defend themselves against the very same guy (Putin) who worked to get Trump elected, and who had invaded their country.
Now that we are in the process of shaking out the latest attempt to invite foreign interference (”Russia, if you are listening...”; “I think Russia and China should investigate Joe Biden.”; “I want you to do us a favor...”) into our elections by the same President, we are involved in an impeachment.
NO ONE DENIES THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
The throw-it-all-against-the-wall defense by Trump supporters is:
1. Congress lacks the authority to Impeach without the Judiciary (not constitutional);
2. There was not a literal crime committed (not required for impeachment);
3. The President has not been indicted (that is what impeachment starts as);
4. That he has been unconstitutionally denied representation during the investigation of his actions (the accused do not have a right to legal representation during investigations, unless the accused is actually being questioned--when this option was presented, the President declined to be questioned with an attorney present, and was not questioned);
5. No witnesses are needed, for the first time in an impeachment trial in American history (even Witch Trials had witnesses);
6. The House failed to make a case, so there is no reason to go forward with an impeachment trial (aside from all that witness testimony, plus Trump’s own words, in real time).
7. This is an attempt to undo an election (Oops! This was a remnant of the defense that was formed for the Mueller investigation -- Trump’s actions vis-à-vis Russia in that case would have occurred prior to his being elected, but when “a duly-elected President” violates the constitution to the point that Congress needs to remove him from office, what else can be the outcome, but removal from office--as specified under the constitution?);
8. Executive privilege is the default (regardless of what the USSC found in U.S. v. Nixon).
Regardless, Russia has won -- especially if there is no longer a mechanism in place to check the power of the Executive.
And that is the only point of defense that will be offered; there is no constitutional mechanism actually in place to check the Executive.
It is not beyond a sociopath to claim he bears no accountability to anyone, but it should be, for those who have not joined him in his sociopathy.
What we are to witness in the coming days will likely be Jury Nullification, ne plus ultra.
While jury nullification is a means by which a jury may acquit a person in protest of a particular charge or law, Republican Senatorial Jury Nullification would be a nullification of the principles of law, itself.
“The nation-state is a political body that holds a monopoly on legitimate violence, within a territory.” -- Max Weber.
If there is no constitution, there can be no monopoly on legitimate violence, because there is no legitimacy. If one is above the law, then all are.