In response to the second impeachment of former U.S. President Donald Trump, veteran Australian jurist Professor David Flint said on Friday, February 5, that the impeachment was extraordinary, “like a trial in a communist country,” and not only completely lacking in due process of law, but also in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
Professor Flint made the remarks in an exclusive interview. He said that following due process of law marks the difference between a country governed by the rule of law and the governments of Beijing and Russia, “and that this impeachment trial in the United States was as unusual as a trial in a communist country.”
Flint, who has been named the “World’s Outstanding Legal Scholar” by the World Jurist Association, believes that the U.S. Senate is currently in trouble over the impeachment trial because “it’s purely fictional [the trial], there’s no evidence at all, it’s just Nancy Pelosi and her colleagues are just unhappy with Trump.”
He said the House rushed through the impeachment decision without presenting evidence. It presumed Trump’s guilt without holding a hearing similar to a grand jury. “At the preliminary stage, they (the House) should also have an indictment in order to proceed with the trial, which is currently completely lacking in due process of law.”
Flint also explained that the purpose of impeachment is to remove a president, judge or other high-ranking official from office, and that the president is removed from office because he has committed treason, bribery, or a serious crime. Charges for these very serious crimes must be substantiated.
He argued that Trump has prepared a good defense against the impeachment trial and that the basis for Trump’s plea is absolutely correct. He said that because Trump is no longer president, the main basis of his defense is that “impeachment is beyond the Constitution, it’s unconstitutional, it’s an indictment of a private person.”
When the House passed the impeachment resolution, it blamed Trump’s rhetoric for the storming of the Capitol and accused him of “sedition.” But Professor Flint countered that the congressional riot took place 20 minutes before Trump finished his speech. In addition, the FBI also proved that two bombs found near the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters during the riots in Congress were planted the night before.
Professor Flint believes that congressional Democrats want to impeach Trump for two reasons: one, they are terrified of Trump’s return, and two, they want to send a warning to others that it is unacceptable for an outsider to try to change the way we do things.
Recent Comments