Despite the fact that Senate Democrats have already determined that President Trump is guilty of what the House of Representatives has accused, MSNBC Live guest host Chris Jansing took the opportunity on Friday to say that it is Republicans who care incapable of holding a fair trial. Not only that, but she held up Kamala Harris as an example of someone who "knows what a fair trial looks like." She added Chief Justice John Roberts to that list as well as Roberts will preside the trial, assuming the House eventually submits the articles to the Senate.
After quoting the Wall Street Journal Jansing asked Jennifer Rubin, if despite the fact that Roberts will have little to no actual power during the trial, if he can compel Republicans to do what Democrats want, "And yet, like Kamala Harris, Roberts knows what a fair trial looks like, right? And he has sided with liberals often enough that more than a few conservatives consider him a turncoat. Is there any way he's a wildcard here?"
Kamala Harris long ago pronounced Trump guilty, the idea that she is an impartial and fair juror and Senate Republicans aren't is just flawed reasoning at best. And how does siding with liberals make Roberts fair? His job is to uphold the Constitution, not side with liberals in this case or that case in the name of fairness.
For her part, Rubin she did not see Roberts interjecting himself to help Democrats, "I would like to think he would somehow intervene and inject real fairness into the process, but he really doesn't have the power and I would be very, very surprised if he intervenes in some serious way."
Here is a transcript for the December 20 show:
MSNBC
MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin11:11 AM ET
CHRIS JANSING: So Jennifer, there’s on one side a sense that we all know what's going to happen, right? if and when the trial takes place. But, the Wall Street Journal notes that in that trial the focus will turn to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who will preside, but as the piece notes, “he will hold less power over the proceedings than a municipal court judge hearing a pickpocket caste. The trial’s rules will be written by the jury, the Senate, whose Republican leadership who has already pronounced the defendant not guilty.” And yet, like Kamala Harris, Roberts knows what a fair trial looks like, right? and he has sided with liberals often enough that more than a few conservatives consider him a turncoat. Is there any way he's a wildcard here?
JEN RUBIN: I would like to think he would somehow intervene and inject real fairness into the process, but he really doesn't have the power and I would be very, very surprised if he intervenes in some serious way.
JANSING: Not expecting an eye roll from John Roberts at some point?
RUBIN: I think he's going to defer to the Senate. The Senate has the right to try the case. He is the presiding officer and that gives him some ceremonial power. Perhaps he will encourage the parties to work things out, to expedite matters or to agree on a certain set of facts, perhaps. But I do not see him, for example, issuing a subpoena to John Bolton. I just don't think that's going to happen. He's very concerned at this moment about the pollicization of the court. He doesn't want it to be seen that somehow the court was out to get Trump or out to defend Trump.
