I can’t imagine Chief Justice John Roberts has any private admiration for Donald Trump. As recently as 2018 the Chief Justice publicly rebuked Trump for referring to certain federal judges as ‘Obama judges’.
With Roberts his decisions will be based on the Constitution and the law. You know…the two things which Donald Trump tramples on a daily basis in his presidency. He’s a conservative justice, but one for the most part I respect.
If you take the time to study the individual cases of Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton you will come to understand the framers of the Constitution did not view impeachment lightly. The Madisonian view was impeachment should not be implemented just because a certain faction of lawmakers don’t like a sitting president.
Rather to impeach it must be proven the law and the Constitution must have been broken to an extent to show the Republic’s ability to govern itself as a true democracy has been damaged or altered from the framer’s intent. Premeditated malice with intent to break the law must be shown. In legalese Latin it’s called mens rea. The knowing premeditated intent to break the law.
Most sons have fathers who teach them how to build a tree house. My father as a trial lawyer never tired of explaining to me the importance of mens rea.
My dad never showed me how to build a tree house. But when he went into a court room it was all business. I’d even say at times he had some Atticus Finch in him in fighting for the little guy.
Did Donald Trump have the premeditated intent to break the law so as to compromise the upcoming election and improve his chances of being re-elected? Based on what any reasonable person observed from Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders at the end of the last debate…I would surmise that any action which would enchance either of those people being the nominee would enchance Donald Trump’s odds at being re-elected regardless of Joe Biden’s other warts.
But I’m straying with all of this.
Was there a knowing premeditated action or actions by Trump and his mafia minions to break the law?
I would say yes. But again–we haven’t seen the case presented or defended just yet.
John Roberts is an avid golfer and a pretty salty one. Unlike Trump—he doesn’t cheat and is a stickler for adhering to the rules. He hits balls out of the rough and sand traps. He takes a penalty when his ball goes into the water. All things which Trump doesn’t adhere to during a round of golf.
Unlike our buffoonish POTUS… Roberts has a respect for golf and the law. I can’t imagine in John Roberts’ private thoughts he has much if any admiration for our big fat orange 45th POTUS.