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Commentary
In the Impeachment Trial, did the Senate listen to the American people?
Polls showed that over 75% of the American people wanted the Senate to vote to call witnesses to testify, and for the president to provide documents sought and subpoenaed by the House of Representatives.
Yet, the Senate voted "No" on both.
The Senate voted against the wishes of the American people.
We the American people must hear the witnesses' testimony and evaluate the documents to judge for ourselves and know the whole truth.
In any courtroom across our nation, every trial must have witnesses and documents to be provided, for review by the jury and presiding judge. That is the foundation of the Judicial system in the United States.
In the Impeachment Trial, the Senate did not allow for this to occur.
The House managers' presentations, led by Congressman Adam Schiff, were cogent and complete, and the evidence they presented was overwhelming and compelling.
Congressman Schiff's presentations were eloquent, incisive, and powerful.
The president's team of counsel did everything they could to deny the American people access to the truth.
They employed arguments which were disingenuous. They twisted and contorted the meaning of the United States Constitution. They shredded and burned the Constitution right before our eyes.
They decimated the principle and concept of the rule of law, a pre-eminent value of our society and nation.
I was deeply moved as I listened to Congressman Schiff's concluding remarks on February 3rd.
Congressman Schiff called on all of us as Americans to uphold the highest values of the nation we love.
Congressman Schiff called on all of us to uphold and protect our Constitution.
I was also deeply moved by Senator Mitt Romney's statement before he cast his vote.
Senator Romney voted according to his conscience, his love for his country, his commitment to the United States Constitution, and his deep and as he shared with us, "profound," faith in God.
When I listened to him, I was reminded of the title of President John Kennedy's book, "Profiles in Courage."
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Anh Lê is an independent journalist based in San Francisco.
Copyright Anh Lê February 6, 2020