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A scathing editorial published by the Louisville Courier Journal claims that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is poised to violate his oath of office with his handling of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
In the editorial, Boston College law professor and Kentucky native Kent Greenfield argues that McConnell will violate his oath if he does not ensure that an impeachment trial in the Senate gets a full and fair hearing, which he says is required in the Constitution.
“The framers wanted to make sure the Senate would never take such a trial lightly — this oath requirement is over and above the oath each senator has already taken to support the Constitution,” he writes. “The Constitution does not set out the text of the trial oath, but the Senate rules do. Senators will ‘solemnly swear… that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Donald J. Trump, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: So help me God.'”
McConnell, Greenfield claims, has already given multiple indications that he will not be a fair or impartial juror in the president’s Senate trial, and has even said that he is coordinating with the White House to manage the trial.
Short of declaring war, the Senate is about to conduct its gravest and most serious constitutional obligation — to exercise the ‘sole power to try’ impeachments,” he concludes. “All senators should take their obligation of faithful impartiality seriously, especially McConnell. History is watching, and it will be a harsh judge.”
Read the whole editorial here.
In the editorial, Boston College law professor and Kentucky native Kent Greenfield argues that McConnell will violate his oath if he does not ensure that an impeachment trial in the Senate gets a full and fair hearing, which he says is required in the Constitution.
“The framers wanted to make sure the Senate would never take such a trial lightly — this oath requirement is over and above the oath each senator has already taken to support the Constitution,” he writes. “The Constitution does not set out the text of the trial oath, but the Senate rules do. Senators will ‘solemnly swear… that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Donald J. Trump, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: So help me God.'”
McConnell, Greenfield claims, has already given multiple indications that he will not be a fair or impartial juror in the president’s Senate trial, and has even said that he is coordinating with the White House to manage the trial.
Short of declaring war, the Senate is about to conduct its gravest and most serious constitutional obligation — to exercise the ‘sole power to try’ impeachments,” he concludes. “All senators should take their obligation of faithful impartiality seriously, especially McConnell. History is watching, and it will be a harsh judge.”
Read the whole editorial here.
