Editorial
Testing the country
At long last, the impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump will fi nally
begin, nearly a month after two articles of impeachment passed the House
of Representatives.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had held the articles in limbo after Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell — Trump’s greatest ally in Washington — said publicly,
in so many words, that he would work in concert with the White House to conduct
a trial that ends with the president’s acquittal.
Whether McConnell and Trump get away with this scheme to turn the Senate
into a kangaroo court is up to each Senator. A two-thirds majority is required to
convict a sitting president and remove him from offi ce — very unlikely considering
the Republican majority in place.
The simple fact, however, is that just three Republican senators are needed to
declare that McConnell ensure a fair trial, which would include the testimony of
witnesses such as former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
Is that too much to ask? It shouldn’t be.
The Senators take an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the United States
and its preservation. No one senator is obligated to the president; the law must
come fi rst, always.
That hasn’t stopped the president and his most loyal servants from slandering
the impeachment process and wanting it all swept under the rug.
On Monday, he suggested that the Senate majority simply forego the impeachment
trial and acquit him. To do that ignores the will of the House majority and
the people it represents who believe the president abused his power.
Last week, in response to Pelosi withholding the articles, one of his most loyal
Senators introduced a resolution to change the Senate rules and automatically
dismiss any impeachment article not presented to the Senate within 25 days of its
House passage.
The message there was even more nefarious: Let’s just ignore the Constitutional
process itself, and the Legislative Branch, and allow the chief executive to do as
he pleases.
This impeachment is a test of our democracy. So far, the Senate majority has
failed that test by rigging the game for Trump. At this point, most understand that
there aren’t enough votes to convict Trump and remove him from offi ce.
But how the Senate conducts this trial will set a long-lasting precedent in holding
other presidents accountable. If it isn’t conducted by the book, our democracy
will be further eroded, our legislature further weakened.
Publisher of The Villager, Villager Express, Chelsea Now,
Downtown Express and Manhattan Express
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
CEO & CO-PUBLISHER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
REPORTERS
CONTRIBUTORS
ART DIRECTORS
ADVERTISING
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERROR
The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes
or typographical errors that do not lessen the value
of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for
others errors or omissions in connection with an
advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the
advertisement in any subsequent issue.
Published by Schneps Media
One Metrotech North, 3rd floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 260-2500
Fax: (212) 229-2790
On-line: www.thevillager.com
E-mail: news@thevillager.com
© 2019 Schneps Media
VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
JOSHUA SCHNEPS
ROBERT POZARYCKI
GABE HERMAN
ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL
MARK HALLUM
MICHELE HERMAN
BOB KRASNER
TEQUILA MINSKY
MARY REINHOLZ
PAUL SCHINDLER
MARCOS RAMOS
CLIFFORD LUSTER
(718) 260-2504
CLUSTER@CNGLOCAL.COM
GAYLE GREENBURG
JIM STEELE
JULIO TUMBACO
ELIZABETH POLLY
New York Press Association
Member of the National
Newspaper Association
Member of the
Member of the
Minority Women Business Enterprise
From the Jan. 14, 1988 issue of The Villager, legendary folk singer Pete
Seeger sang, joked and told stories at a Sunday afternoon event at The
Church of St. Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson St. The article, by Richard
Thompson, noted that Seeger and fans were supporting “Save the Village,” a
group dedicated to preserving the neighborhood and protecting its Hudson
River waterfront area from development.
��������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������
8 January 16, 2020 Schneps Media
/www.thevillager.com
link
link
/www.thevillager.com
link
link
