President Donald Trump promoted an argument that the GOP-led Senate should move to dismiss the articles of impeachment against him, thereby eliminating the need for a trial. Trump quoted the words of former Bush advisor Brad Blakeman on Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s my opinion as a lawyer that the Articles of Impeachment are defective on their face, which means I would like to see a Motion to Dismiss and have this disbursed without the necessity of a trial. I don’t think there should be a trial. I think it should be dismissed on 51 votes, which is procedural. You don’t need two thirds,’” Trump tweeted, @-ing Fox News and thanking Blakeman, “a great lawyer & person.”

…on 51 votes, which is procedural. You don’t need two thirds.” Brad Blakeman @FoxNews A great lawyer & person. Thank you Brad! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019

It appears Trump was referring to Blakeman’s appearance on Fox News last week, during which he suggested that the Senate could realistically pursue dismissing charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

“The Senate does have options. As a matter of fact they have many options. The first option would be that after the charges are read in the Senate against the President, his side can make a motion to dismiss which is a procedural vote that only requires a simple majority of 51 votes, and there is no need for a trial because the charges don’t hold up to the constitutional standards,” Blakeman said.

Asked directly what the Senate should do once the articles of impeachment are sent over from the House, Blakeman said he believed they should immediately move forward with the option to dismiss the articles.

“Well I happen to believe as a lawyer that the charges are defective on their face – they don’t meet the constitutional standard of High crimes and Misdemeanors. So I would like to see a motion to dismiss,” he said. “I think the 51 senators we have as Republicans should agree with that and there should be no trial, it should be dismissed as a matter of course.”

As previously reported by Law&Crime, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she can’t pick impeachment managers until she receives assurances from the Senate that there will be a fair trial.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) was quick to respond on Tuesday that “The American people deserve a fair trial.”

First, Trump said he wanted a trial in the Senate. Then, he said he wanted to hear from witnesses. Now, he wants the case dismissed — without either. The President is afraid of hearing from witnesses, but the Senate should not be. The American people deserve a fair trial. https://t.co/lGN0mEdsZU — Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 31, 2019

[image via Mark Wilson_Getty Images]

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