Butterfield: “The Truth is on Trial” During Trump’s Impeachment Case
By Cash Michaels
A North Carolina congressman who more than qualifies to serve as a U.S. House manager to present evidence at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate says even though it’s a foregone conclusion by many that the Republican majority will likely not convict Trump, or remove him from office, what they do decide, and how they decide it, will have lasting impact on the nation.
Congressman G. K. Butterfield [D-NC-1) was more than just a civil rights attorney in his pre-congressional days. He served as a Resident Superior Court judge for over 13 years, and was subsequently appointed to the NC Supreme Court before deciding to run for Congress in 2004.
Based on his experience, and the House impeachment hearings that produced two articles of impeachment, there is little question about the evidence against Pres. Trump, Rep. Butterfield says.
“I know what the evidence is; I know it’s a very strong case of obstruction of Congress and misconduct in office,” he said Saturday in Greenville, just minutes before the president’s defense lawyers began their two-hour presentation to the U.S. Senate.
“I was there when the evidence was presented in the House. It’s a compelling case that calls for the presentation of witnesses and documents in the Senate. I would be very disappointed if the American people were not given the benefit of documents and witnesses during this trial.”
At press time, lawyers for Pres. Trump were still presenting their defense that the Republican president did nothing wrong when he tried to cajole the Ukrainian president to announce an investigation into former Vice Pres. Joe Biden’s son Hunter for sitting on a Ukrainian gas company’s board, and cut off military aid to the country until he did.
Democratic House managers, led by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), charged during their Senate presentation last week that Trump imperiled national security just to hurt a potential political rival for reelection with false corruption charges.
Democrats in the Senate need at least four Republicans to vote with them for witnesses and documents to be allowed into the trial. Ironically, Trump’s defense attorneys have said the House Democrats’ case is weak because they don’t have certain documents and witnesses - documents and witnesses they can’t get unless the Senate is allowed to take a vote.
A passage from former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s upcoming book about his brief term in the Trump White House seems to, according to press reports, confirm that the president tied Ukrainian assistance in investigating the Biden’s, with release of their military aid.
Democrats are demanding that Bolton be sworn-in as a witness.
“Pres. Trump is not on trial right now,” Congressman Butterfield said Saturday. “The truth is on trial. The Constitution is on trial. These senators are beginning to appreciate the gravity of the moment.”
When asked how can he tell, given reports of senators ignoring the House manager’s presentation, playing with finger toys, reading books or walking away from their seats, Rep. Butterfield cited something that, thus far, has gone not noted.
“I think there’s a critical mass - ten or twelve senators - who have, as of yet, not made any public pronouncements about their positions. And I believe they will decide this case fairly, and at least require the production of witnesses and documents.”
Of special note to African-Americans, history was made last week when House managers Rep. Val Demings (D-FLA) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries became the first balk lawmakers ever to prosecute a presidential impeachment case on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
