TRIAL MEMORANDUM OF DONALD J. TRUMP, 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1
STATEMENT OF FACTS RELEVANT TO THE ARTICLE OF IMPEACHMENT .......... 2
A. The Single Article Of Impeachment Is Belied By An Analysis Of Mr. Trump’s Spoken Words To A Crowd Gathered At The Ellipse Four On January 6, 2021................................... 4
B. Democrat Members Of The House Drafted The Article Of Impeachment Before Any Investigation Into The Riot Had Even Started. .......................................................................... 6
C. The House Managers’ “Statement Of Facts” Outlines A Narrative Irrelevant To The Facts Alleged In Support Of The Single Article Of Impeachment. .................................................... 7
1. Law Enforcement Had Reports Of A Potential Attack On The Capitol Several Days Before President Trump’s Speech. ....................................................................................... 7
2. The House Managers False Narrative Rests Entirely On Biased And Mischaracterized Reports By The Media And Cherry-Picked, Non-Contextual Parsing Of Mr. Trump’s January 6 Speech................................................................................................................. 10
III. ARGUMENT.........................................................................................................................13
A. The Senate Lacks The Constitutional Jurisdiction To Conduct An Impeachment Trial Of A Former President. ................................................................................................................. 13
1. The Text And Structure Of The Articles Discussing Impeachment Do Not Grant To the Senate the Authority Over A Former President. ........................................................... 14
2. The Constitution only gives the Senate Jurisdiction over the President, not the former President, of the United States. ........................................................................................... 17
i
IV.
CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................... 74
C.
The Article of Impeachment Violates Mr. Trump’s First Amendment Rights.............. 37
1. The Senate Cannot Disregard the First Amendment and the Supreme Court’s Long- Established Free Speech Jurisprudence .............................................................................. 38
2. Mr. Trump as an Elected Official Has First Amendment Rights to Freely Engage in Political Speech................................................................................................................... 41
3. Mr. Trump’s Speech Was Fully Protected by the First Amendment ......................... 47
4. Lastly, Mr. Trump’s Figurative Use of the Words “Fight,” “Fighting,” Have Been Used
By Many, None Are Impeachable ...................................................................................... 63
The House Afforded President Trump No Due Process of Law .................................... 66 The Article Is Structurally Deficient and Can Only Result in Acquittal. ...................... 71 The Article Fails to State an Impeachable Offense as a Matter of Law......................... 72
D. E. F.
3. The Founders Knowingly Did Not Extend The Power Of Impeachment To Former Officials............................................................................................................................... 20
4. Historical Precedents .................................................................................................. 23
Congress’ Power To Impose Penalties Upon Conviction Of Impeachment Is Limited to
B.
Removal, And (Not Or) Disqualification................................................................................. 30
https://www.45office.com/images/uploads/Fi...
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1
STATEMENT OF FACTS RELEVANT TO THE ARTICLE OF IMPEACHMENT .......... 2
A. The Single Article Of Impeachment Is Belied By An Analysis Of Mr. Trump’s Spoken Words To A Crowd Gathered At The Ellipse Four On January 6, 2021................................... 4
B. Democrat Members Of The House Drafted The Article Of Impeachment Before Any Investigation Into The Riot Had Even Started. .......................................................................... 6
C. The House Managers’ “Statement Of Facts” Outlines A Narrative Irrelevant To The Facts Alleged In Support Of The Single Article Of Impeachment. .................................................... 7
1. Law Enforcement Had Reports Of A Potential Attack On The Capitol Several Days Before President Trump’s Speech. ....................................................................................... 7
2. The House Managers False Narrative Rests Entirely On Biased And Mischaracterized Reports By The Media And Cherry-Picked, Non-Contextual Parsing Of Mr. Trump’s January 6 Speech................................................................................................................. 10
III. ARGUMENT.........................................................................................................................13
A. The Senate Lacks The Constitutional Jurisdiction To Conduct An Impeachment Trial Of A Former President. ................................................................................................................. 13
1. The Text And Structure Of The Articles Discussing Impeachment Do Not Grant To the Senate the Authority Over A Former President. ........................................................... 14
2. The Constitution only gives the Senate Jurisdiction over the President, not the former President, of the United States. ........................................................................................... 17
i
IV.
CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................... 74
C.
The Article of Impeachment Violates Mr. Trump’s First Amendment Rights.............. 37
1. The Senate Cannot Disregard the First Amendment and the Supreme Court’s Long- Established Free Speech Jurisprudence .............................................................................. 38
2. Mr. Trump as an Elected Official Has First Amendment Rights to Freely Engage in Political Speech................................................................................................................... 41
3. Mr. Trump’s Speech Was Fully Protected by the First Amendment ......................... 47
4. Lastly, Mr. Trump’s Figurative Use of the Words “Fight,” “Fighting,” Have Been Used
By Many, None Are Impeachable ...................................................................................... 63
The House Afforded President Trump No Due Process of Law .................................... 66 The Article Is Structurally Deficient and Can Only Result in Acquittal. ...................... 71 The Article Fails to State an Impeachable Offense as a Matter of Law......................... 72
D. E. F.
3. The Founders Knowingly Did Not Extend The Power Of Impeachment To Former Officials............................................................................................................................... 20
4. Historical Precedents .................................................................................................. 23
Congress’ Power To Impose Penalties Upon Conviction Of Impeachment Is Limited to
B.
Removal, And (Not Or) Disqualification................................................................................. 30
https://www.45office.com/images/uploads/Fi...
The intellectual dishonesty and factual vacuity put forth by the House Managers in their
trial memorandum only serve to further punctuate the point that this impeachment proceeding was
4
neveraboutseekingjustice. Instead,thiswasonlyeveraselfishattemptbyDemocraticleadership
in the House to prey upon the feelings of horror and confusion that fell upon all Americans across the entire political spectrum upon seeing the destruction at the Capitol on January 6 by a few hundred people. Instead of acting to heal the nation, or at the very least focusing on prosecuting the lawbreakers who stormed the Capitol, the Speaker of the House and her allies have tried to callously harness the chaos of the moment for their own political gain.