HOOVER — Speaking to members of the media at the Alabama Republican Party’s headquarters on Wednesday afternoon, former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave a fierce defense of President Donald Trump while railing against the current impeachment push by congressional Democrats.
Sessions, who is running to reclaim his old U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, gave remarks as the House debated two articles of impeachment against the president. A vote by the House on impeaching Trump is expected later Wednesday or Thursday morning.
First reading a prepared statement, Sessions reiterated his continued stance that the House Democrats’ impeachment charges are “utterly lacking in merit” and “entirely political.”
“The Democratic House is abusing the awesome impeachment powers contained in our Constitution,” Sessions summarized. “In our long constitutional history, there has never been such an unjustified impeachment action.”
He bashed the vague charge of obstructing Congress levied against Trump by Democrats, outlining that Congress obstructs the president daily and that the courts obstruct both branches. That, he said, is how checks and balances are supposed to work, with disagreement being natural.
Sessions similarly chastised the abuse of power article of impeachment, saying it too is vague and could be applied under Democrats’ standard to many daily, normal functions on the federal level.
He warned that Democrats impeaching Trump as they are currently proceeding “is certain to produce lasting, adverse consequences for our nation.”
“Some things in life can’t be undone,” Sessions continued. “There will be a stain on the House of Representatives forever.”
“The country is booming under President Trump’s policies. It has never been stronger. His policies are commonsense and are working. They are what the American people want for their leaders. President Trump stands up for the average American every single day. And the elitists Democrats respond with personal attacks. They will rue the day they did this,” Sessions stressed. “They are not hurting President Trump. They are hurting America, they are hurting their own party.”
Sessions advised that he expects Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to try and make the most of an impeachment trial, saying Schumer is “politics all the time” and is sure to conduct “a fishing investigation” because no evidence has been put forward that justifies impeachment or removal from office.
“[T]hese activities must end,” Sessions added. “When it’s all over, the Democrats will owe an apology. They will owe an apology to President Trump, and they will owe an apology to the American people — because it is the people’s interest and the public’s interest that is being obstructed through this process.”
Yellowhammer News asked Sessions whether he agrees with the notion brought up by Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-01), a fellow Senate candidate, that under the standard being created by House Democrats right now, then-President Barack Obama and then-Attorney General Eric Holder should have been impeached for their conduct during investigations such as the one into Fast and Furious.
“I think that’s a very — I think that’s essentially correct,” Sessions responded.
“Professor Jonathan Turley — who testified in the Senate many times, I examined him on the floor of the Senate many times — listed a whole list of items when he was asked about that, that would amount to impeachable offenses under the Democratic understanding of what impeachment requires. So, I think that’s essentially correct,” he concluded.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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