No cover-up! Demand a fair impeachment trial

By Heidi Rand

Deadline: NOW –

On January 21, 2020 – three years and one day after Donald John Trump’s inauguration and the first day of his impeachment trial – the Republicans began blowing Constitutional checks and balances and Congress’s oversight powers to bits. They voted over and over to block witnesses and documents from the trial; they flouted the rules and lied (why are we not shocked?).

The Democrats fought back by voting as a solid bloc FOR allowing witnesses and documents, against the cover-up. House impeachment managers, led by Representative Adam Schiff, built a rock solid case by reading and showing prior sworn witness testimony and evidence. Rep. Schiff called on the Senators to be courageous, to do their duty, to have a fair trial; but our Senators can’t do it alone. Resistance made Mitch McConnell back off some of his most extreme attempts to rig the trial – NOW is the time to give our Senators support and thanks for what they’re doing, and ask them to keep it up.

What you can do:

1. Call your Senators and say:  

My name is _______, my zip code is _____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Thank you for working for a fair and open impeachment trial, and for voting NO on the Republican resolution that would allow the Senate to hold a mockery of a trial. And thank you for forcing the Senate to take public votes that show how far the GOP is willing to go to cover for Trump. I’m counting on you to keep fighting for a fair and open trial with witnesses and documents, and to keep holding Republicans accountable to their sworn duty.

• Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email) (415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841
• Sen. Kamala Harris (email) (415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

If you can, please call and keep calling until you get through. Phones ringing off the hook have an impact that full inboxes just can’t match. Better yet, call first and then follow up with an email.

2. Spread the word. Tell everyone you know they need to call their Senators NOW to say (and if you don’t live in California):  

My name is _______, my zip code is _____. I want you to fight for a fair and open impeachment trial with relevant witnesses and documents. [And thank them if you know they’ve spoken out publicly, and/or voted for a fair trial.]

• Call the Capitol switchboard, 202-224-3121, and ask to be connected to your Members of Congress. 
• Do you have a Republican Senator, or know anyone who does? See Indivisible’s page for great suggestions on what to say in those calls.

Graphic: “Kangaroo Court” by Prairie Kittin (Creative Commons)

Heidi Rand fights the evil empire with skills gained as a Ninth Circuit staff attorney and civil rights lawyer, using words to resist, and to inform and inspire others to take action. She also wields a mean camera and knitting needles, though usually not at the same time.