“IMPEACH! BEFORE MARCH 4, 2024!”

He makes a good point. It's like Trump's kryptonite.

'Trump is at his weakest when he's not in the news': Republican former lawmaker @CLCurbelohttps://t.co/eGc9Y99CW3

— Sarah Burris 🌻 (@SarahBurris) August 27, 2023

The solution is to stay in the news.

Trump rewrites history of his impeachments in frenzied all-caps Truth Social ranthttps://t.co/QZGbN1Ba7M

— Raw Story (@RawStory) August 28, 2023

"I NEVER HAD AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY, I HAD AN IMPEACHMENT, WHICH I WON! IT WAS STARTED IMMEDIATELY, NO MEETINGS, NO STUDY, NO DELAYS," Trump wrote. "THE LUNATIC FASCHISTS [sic] & MARXISTS PLAY THE GAME DIFFERENTLY." 

"THEY ARE OUT TO DESTROY AMERICA. MAGA!" he concluded. 

Contrary to Trump's assertion, there was an impeachment inquiry and fact-finding stage both times he was impeached. Trump refused to testify in his defense in the second impeachment for inciting the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, proclaiming the proceedings were rigged from the start.

🚨🚨

House Republicans are openly admitting that, despite all the bluster and lies, there is NO evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden.

“They can’t impeach without that evidence. And I don’t think the evidence exists.” https://t.co/IM9BXOFV0n pic.twitter.com/eNhAWegrBY

— Ammar Moussa (@ammarmufasa) August 28, 2023

Although:

Basically it just gives @RepMikeLawler and the rest plausible deniability and they deliver what Trump demands

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 28, 2023

And:

Again, THE STORY IS that they want to impeach with no evidence.

When they do it -- and they will do it -- doesn't matter if you refuse to make it clear what an assault on democracy this is.

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) August 28, 2023

Meanwhile, I wish I was a fly on the wall in a D.C. courtroom right now.

Lolololol

Trump is angry that Hunter Biden isn’t being prosecuted for siccing a non-existent mob on the Capitol to win an elect he never ran in. This guy is disgusting https://t.co/y4jEw3Y5Rp

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) August 28, 2023

As I've noted over and over: Trump wasted 9 months on frivolous EP challenges, AFTER SCOTUS declined to review his J6C one. https://t.co/A7mr8tat23

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) August 28, 2023

I'm not in hearing in DC, but I hope people understand that Trump's selective prosecution argument says that 310 people can be charged FOR THE VERY SAME CRIME, and he's bitching that he's getting charged too.

It's just disgusting.

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) August 28, 2023

John Lauro says he's less competent than the dozens of defense attorneys who've already defended THIS VERY SAME CHARGE already. https://t.co/uyC7Z4yuor

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) August 28, 2023

Chutkan, quoting Speedy Trial case law: Public has interest in fair, timely justice; delay can prejudice and it is not an uncommon defense tactic.
As trial lengthens, witnesses can become unavailable, or memory jeopardized

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

In US v Cronick, SCOTUS held, neither pd of time govt spent investigating case nor # of docs agents reviewed during probe is relevant to q of whether competent lawyer could prepare to defend the case

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

[I’m skipping the portion where the court goes carefully through the material produced by the prosecution. It’s detailed, but it’s how courts work.  Much more reassuring than a Gym Jordan hearing.]

Chutkan cont:... the manner in which the discovery has been organized indicate the govt has made a considerable effort to expedite review certainly beyond their normal obligations.

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

For a federal prosecutor to suggest we could go to trial in four months is not only absurd but it is a violation of an oath to justice, Lauro says, voice booming.
Chutkan says, let's take the temperature down here

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

Lauro: i need to think about corrobrative material... for govt to suggest I can do that in four months is an outrage to justice. Not once have they talked about justice. They can give me key documents in this case, and that's very kind of them -
Chutkan stops him. Raises hand.

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

Lauro: We, as criminal defense lawyers, have not had access to what is in Nat Archives, USSS (etc)
(He has lowered his voice)
But some of that material is not new to you -
Lauro cuts in, says how is not new to him?

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

Chutkan:...that's not brand new information is it?
Lauro (very emphatically): of course it is.

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

[And it goes on like that for awhile. I’ve seen this before. Lauro knows he doesn’t have a leg to stand on. He’s doing this for the client. There’s zealously representing your client; and then there’s this:]

Lauro says none of this takes into consideration how much work defense has to do to prepare its own witnesses, materials.

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

Chutkan calmly, voice very even, tells Lauro she has no doubt he is capable and wants to provide capable representation but they are not going to agree on what is necessary for time to prepare

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

Joe Biden didn't recommend an indictment against Trump. A grand jury did.
But this is the conflation that Lauro and Trump and the parrots on cable news will repeat.

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

[As I was saying; and yes, this is a delay tactic (and a marker for appeal), and no, it won’t work.]

Gaston: Trump has 4 counsels of record, 2 attys who attended arraignment and one involved with pre-indictment prep; When Lauro went on air, podcasts, he described a number of motions he plans to raise, said he read Pence's book twice and knew what witnesses to call, what to ask

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

[Hoisting Lauro on his own petar.]

Gaston cont: there's a strong need in public interest to hear this in open court, and proceed to fair open trial...

Gaston notes that Trump continues to disparage proceedings online, potentially intimidates witnesses, potentially mucking up jury pool as a result in DC...

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

[Judge then warns: "Don’t fuck with the jury pool.]

Chutkan notes Lauro's objection on the rec. A pre-trial schedule will be made, Chutkan will issue a minute order with pre-trial schedule.
Gaston, before things wrap up, notes to Chutkan that she believes defense will poll prospective jurors in DC. She wants a motion hearing

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

Chutkan: If you file a motion to transfer and you haven't, but you're doing polling on the other, it might affect the same jury pool you're claiming is not fair. And there's a problem. I cant tell you what info you can gather but I am concerned that...

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023

If and when defense decides to undertake this, there will be a hearing first. Again Chutkan reminds Lauro, light paraphrase: they're not treating Trump any different, but there are concerns that pressing here and unique given his public commentary on the prospective jury

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) August 28, 2023