Republicans have introduced a circular argument for letting Trump block all the impeachment evidence. jonathanchait writes
If the president don’t turn over any of the relevant documents, you must acquit. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images Republicans have spent the impeachment trial alternatively arguing that the House had not produced enough evidence to prove its case, and that more evidence is unnecessary. Last night, they introduced a novel new argument: It would be pointless to introduce more evidence, because the White House will simply block it in the courts.
Trump himself is arguing that the House had too few witnesses — because he blocked them! — but that the Senate should not try to get those witnesses, because “they had their chance.” It is true, of course, that Trump will continue to withhold as much evidence as he can, as long as he can. But this raises a third point about his lack of transparency: Doesn’t it make Republican senators question his protestations of innocence? After all, Trump is very much not conceding that he pressured Ukraine to undertake ordered-up investigations. His defense does not merely say his actions don’t merit removal — it denies the key factual predicate of the articles of impeachment.
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