Chuck Schumer: Because of Cohen’s plea, Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh is now illegitimate

I don’t envy Charles Schumer. That doesn’t mean I have any sympathy for him or am willing to excuse his nonsense. I don’t and I’m not. The man chose the position he’s in and he can squirm in it every day as far as I’m concerned. But I sure don’t envy him. He is under intense pressure from the liberal base to do everything he can to stop Brett Kavanaugh from being confirmed. In reality, there is nothing he can do and he knows that. But he has to act the part, and if that means grasping at absolutely ridiculous straws, then darn it, that’s what he’s going to do.

So here is today’s news: Donald Trump no longer has the constitutional authority to nominate Justices to the Supreme Court. Who says? Not you, not me and certainly not the Constitution. But Chuck Schumer says it, not because he believes it, but because he has to say something to keep the barbarians from storming the gate, so why not?

“It is unseemly for the President of the United States to be picking a Supreme Court Justice who could soon be, effectively, a juror in a case involving the President himself,” Mr. Schumer declared, picking up a trope that has quickly become part of the liberal echo chamber. Senators Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Ed Markey (his own private Idaho) cancelled meetings with Judge Kavanaugh, with Mr. Markey saying he is now an “illegitimate” nominee. So let’s see. Donald Trump is the elected President with the power of appointment under the Constitution, but because his former lawyer has pleaded guilty to evading taxes and paying off a couple of Mr. Trump’s alleged mistresses, Mr. Trump no longer enjoys the powers of the Presidency under Article II. This novel interpretation of presidential authority somehow eluded James Madison. As for Judge Kavanaugh being a “juror” for Mr. Trump if he is confirmed to the High Court, the Chief Justice presides over Senate impeachment trials. Associate Justices have no role. The jury is 100 Senators, who get a vote only after the House impeaches a President.

This is not going to change a single vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation, and Schumer knows it. What’s more, Kavanaugh is not going to be a “jurist” in any criminal case involving Donald Trump. All this is designed to do is get the Daily Kos and HuffPo and left-wing Twitter mob off Chuck’s back. “Hey, he tried!” Schumer has a history of making declarations about process and principle that completely contradict previous statements he made on the exact same subjects, with the only variable being which party happens to be in power at the moment. He knows he contradicts himself and fears no consequences precisely because he knows the mainstream media will never call him on it. But at least a few of you should know when the minority leader of the United States Senate says things as absurd as what this one says.

Dan Calabrese——Bio and Archives

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