Disrupting Elections

For John, BLUF:  The moves still available to the Democrats to fight the election of President Trump to a second term are still numerous.  For sure they do not wish to put his reelection to the test.  Losing twice would be deeply embarrassing.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Rand Paul:  Election 'chaos' is goal of Democrats, 'they hate the president so much'

From The Washington Examiner, by Columnist Paul Bedard, 31 January 2020.

Here is the lede plus six:

President Trump’s legal team and his supporters on Capitol Hill are turning their attention to a potential, though still unlikely, scenario should the Senate surprise the public with a conviction on the two impeachment articles he faces.

The new focus is keeping him on 2020 primary and general-election ballots so that he can return to office if he’s given the boot — or impeached again this year, as some House Democrats are predicting.

While there is no precedent, officials are conferring with constitutional scholars to determine the president’s ballot rights, because one thing is clear, a close political Trump ally said:  “He’s going to run no matter what happens.”

In an interview, Republican Sen. Rand Paul said the potential ballot confusion was “not emphasized enough,” and he believed that it was one of the key reasons Democrats have pushed impeachment to the cliff.

Their goal, he said, was not protecting democracy, but ruining the GOP’s election chances.

“Do you think [Democratic impeachment manager] Adam Schiff is just doing this because he’s such a stand-up citizen?  Or do you think he cares about damaging people of the opposite political party?” Paul asked.

“Right now, Trump is the presumptive nominee.  The thing is, if convicted, he wouldn’t be allowed to run.  This isn’t about the 2016 election.  It’s not about potential malfeasance in office.  It’s about taking him off the ballot and there being chaos on the other side,” he added.

For judges, in the past, not every conviction resulted in being barred from running for Federal Office.  I give you Representative Alcee Hastings, Democrat of Florida. . He was impeached and removed from office (Federal Judge), but he is now back as a US Representative.  And voted, just a few short weeks ago, to Impeach the President of the United States.

Yes, knocking Donald John Trump off the ballot is the best way to prevent him from being in the White House this time next year.  Maybe his successor, current Vice President Mike Pence, would be replaced by Ms Hillary Clinton, the woman who, while winning a plurality of the popular vote, failed to win fifty percent plus 1.  Not very convincing.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff