On Wednesday Chief Justice John Roberts refused to read a question posed by Senator Rand Paul because it could potentially out the whistleblower. On Thursday Roberts censured Paul to prevent him from asking questions.
In response, Rand Paul publically released the questions that Roberts wouldn’t read.
According to The Daily Wire:
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is presiding over President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, blocked Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) from asking a question on Thursday during the trial.
My question today is about whether or not individuals who were holdovers from the Obama National Security Council and Democrat partisans conspired with Schiff staffers to plot impeaching the President before there were formal House impeachment proceedings.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 30, 2020
and are you aware and how do you respond to reports that Ciaramella and Misko may have worked together to plot impeaching the President before there were formal house impeachment proceedings. 2/2
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 30, 2020
My question is not about a “whistleblower” as I have no independent information on his identity. My question is about the actions of known Obama partisans within the NSC and House staff and how they are reported to have conspired before impeachment proceedings had even begun.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 30, 2020
Chief Justice John Roberts declined to read a question from a senator from Kentucky: “The presiding officer declines to read the question as submitted” https://t.co/WlozSBas9w pic.twitter.com/KU0tfQ1pd3
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) January 30, 2020
Paul got major backup from legal scholars who were not happy with Roberts’ decision:
Constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley, a Trump critic who also served as an impeachment witness during Democrats’ partisan investigation late last year, responded by writing: “The Chief Justice again refused to read Paul’s question. This is relatively uncharted because the reading of the name does not directly violate federal law. It is a matter of decorum and restraint claimed by Roberts inherent authority.”
The Chief Justice again refused to read Paul’s question. This is relatively uncharted because the reading of the name does not directly violate federal law. It is a matter of decorum and restraint claimed by Roberts
inherent authority. https://t.co/7aoEta8RVw— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) January 30, 2020
.@RandPaul asked a reasonable question, and the Chief Justice is wrong to not let the managers answer the question.
Regardless of whether this individual is the “whistleblower,” there are legitimate concerns that the Deep State conspired with Democrats against @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/cwK9HGyFgm
— Rep. Jody Hice (@CongressmanHice) January 30, 2020
Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA) responded by writing: “[email protected] asked a reasonable question, and the Chief Justice is wrong to not let the managers answer the question. Regardless of whether this individual is the “whistleblower,” there are legitimate concerns that the Deep State conspired with Democrats against @realDonaldTrump.”
Rand Paul took his opposition to this impeachment to a whole new level on Thursday and did so by taking on the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
