My Closing Argument in People of the United States v. Donald J. Trump, Case No. 11 03 2020
Friends, Americans, countrymen and women!
Donald J. Trump is an existential and imminent threat to the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of the vast majority of Americans.
America is at inflection point, a point of return from the brink of national disaster or no return and plunge into the dark abyss.
I now ask you to SAVE the Constitution of the United States of America from Donald J. Trump!
The 19th century British Prime Minister William Gladstone once proclaimed, “The Constitution of the United States of America is the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man”.
YES, the Constitution of the United States of America MADE AMERICA GREAT.
On November 3, 2020, LET US MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN BY VOTING FOR THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND VOTING OUT DONALD J. TRUMP.
On November 3, 2020, V.O.T.E. (Voice of the Electorate) and let Donald J. Trump hear you loud and clear: YOU ARE FIRED!
DONALD J. TRUMP, YOU ARE FIRED!!!
Alemayehu G. Mariam, October 31, 2020
Americans, countrymen and women, lend me your ears!
In my legal career spanning nearly three decades, I have been staunchly on the side of the defense.
The defense of the United States Constitution.
The defense of American civil liberties and civil rights.
The defense of the downtrodden, the tired and poor.
The defense of the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
Yes, I was one of the wretched refuses, tempest-tossed from Africa that teemed the American shore.
I came to America guided by the lamp beside the golden door I saw on the Statue of Liberty.
This is my closing argument in the Great Court of American Public Opinion and before the tribunal of your inescapable Individual Consciences in People of the United States v. Donald J. Trump.
I ask you to return a verdict on all counts: Vote Out Donald J. Trump on November 3, 2020!
COUNT I: Trashing the United States Constitution and Exercising Extra-constitutional Powers
I ask you to return a verdict of “VOTE OUT DONALD J. TRUMP” on November 3, 2020 based on evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that Donald J. Trump has trashed, scorned, degraded and destroyed the Constitution of the United States, once described by the 19th century British Prime Minister William Gladstone as “the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man”.
Trump took a solemn oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States to the best of his ability” on January 20, 2017.
Today, our great Constitution lays battered, wounded, bedraggled and besmirched by Donald J. Trump.
In November 2020, Donald J. Trump represents the greatest threat to the Constitution and the American way of life anchored in the rule of law.
Trump has trashed our Constitution in so many ways. Let me count the ways:
Trump has repeatedly, systematically and flagrantly undermined the bedrock constitutional principle of separation of powers by directing his subordinates to disregard and defy Congressional subpoenas.
Trump has flagrantly violated the criminal prohibition of the Anti-Deficiency Act by spending billions of dollars far in excess of what Congress has appropriated for a so-called border wall in violation of 31 U.S. Code § 1341.
Trump has refused to disclose his tax returns to the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in flagrant violation of 26 U.S.C. 6103 (f).
Trump has subverted the Department of Homeland Security for his own political purposes by directly interfering in the police powers of the state and local governments in flagrant violation of the principles of federalism.
Trump has repeatedly appointed top officers of the United States, approaching nearly one-half of his cabinet officials without Senate confirmation in violation of the “Appointments Clause” of the Constitution.
Trump repeatedly, knowingly and intentionally assaulted on the integrity of the U.S. elections by spreading falsehoods about the security of voting and misrepresenting issues with mail ballots claiming, “This is going to be a fraud like you’ve never seen.”
Trump has repeatedly sought to obstruct the U.S. mail system in order to disenfranchise voters seeking to vote safely during the COVID-19 pandemic by eliminating overtime for mail carriers, reducing post office hours and removing postal boxes and slowing mail delivery in flagrant violation of the “Postal Clause” of the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Trump has ordered FEMA officials to withhold aid to Californians who lost their houses to a wildfire because “California didn’t support him” in flagrant violation of the bedrock constitutional principles of federalism and the “Appropriations Clause” of the Constitution.
Trump has issued Executive Order 13768 withholding Congressionally mandated funds to (“sanctuary”) cities that limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities in flagrant violation of the “Appropriations Clause” of the Constitution.
Trump has instructed his suborned his officials to intentionally violate the Constitution and federal laws by claiming “magical authorities” and promising, “Do it. If you get in trouble, I’ll pardon you.”
Trump has demanded his subordinates “gas, electrify and shoot” refugees fleeing persecution in violation of international law and treaties of the United States.
Trump has flagrantly violated the “Free Exercise” clause of the First Amendment and the “Due Process” clause of the Fifth Amendment by imposing a travel ban on persons who practice the Muslim faith.
Trump has flagrantly violated the Constitution’s “Foreign Emoluments” clause which prohibits the president from accepting personal benefits from any foreign government or official by leasing office space to representatives of foreign governments at the Trump Tower and securing intellectual property rights for Trump-held companies.
Trump has unilaterally terminated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia in violation of the “Treaty Clause” of the Constitution.
Trump has asserted unilateral authority to initiate an offensive war against any nation or non-state actor in the world and made direct threats against North Korea, Iran, or Venezuela in violation of the “War Powers” clause of the Constitution.
Trump has systematically and repeatedly refused to enforce statutory mandates of Congress by arbitrarily ignoring, revoking and subverting countless agency rules and regulations pertaining to immigration and consumer and environmental protection in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act and the “Take Care” clause of the Constitution.
Trump has repeatedly and flagrantly refused to provide Congress information about security clearances he granted to family members, friends and cronies in violation of the inherent powers of Congress to investigate.
Trump has deliberately attempted to frustrate and obstruct justice by directly interfering in the criminal investigation of alleged collaboration between the Trump 2016 campaign and Russia to influence the presidential election in violation of the “Take Care” clause of the Constitution.
Furthermore, Trump has brought shame, dishonor and disgrace to the office of the President of the United States by:
Disrespecting, denigrating and sexually and serially preying upon women, mocking the disabled, inciting violence against the mainstream media and critics, and racial, ethnic and religious minorities and their congressional representatives.
Imposing tariffs, quotas and granting exemptions from his trade restrictions to assist his family, friends and cronies and punish his political enemies.
Inducing foreign officials lobbying his administration to use his hotels and hospitality services and
Spending over $100 million taxpayer dollars to golf and vacation at his own properties.
In every stage of these and other flagrant violations of the Constitution and in the face of the lies and intentional misrepresentations perpetrated by Trump, We, the People have humbly petitioned for redress. Trump has responded to our petitions with repeated insults and injuries.
In the words and spirit of the Declaration of Independence, when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design by a tyrant to hijack constitutional government, trample on the rule of law, trash representative government and reduce the people under absolute despotism, it is their constitutional right, it is their moral duty, to VOTE OUT such a government and leaders and to provide new safeguards for their future security.
COUNT II: Donald J. Trump through his depraved indifference and singular obsession to be reelected president has sacrificed the lives of over 230 thousand Americans in the COVID-19 pandemic and gravely endangered the lives and livelihoods of untold millions of Americans.
I ask you to return a verdict of “VOTE OUT DONALD J. TRUMP” on November 3, 2020 based on evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that Donald J. Trump is the direct or proximate cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. over the past eight months.
Trump at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020 assured the American people coronavirus would weaken “when we get into April, in the warmer weather—that has a very negative effect on that, and that type of a virus. It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle—it will disappear.” Trump knew or should have known his statements were patently false and as a result of his statements and actions COVID-19 evolved to become a grave health crisis in America.
Trump acknowledged, after hundreds of thousands of Americans died of COVID 19 and over 9 million infected that he knowingly and intentionally played down the deadly nature of the rapidly spreading coronavirus in an attempt to avoid a “frenzy” and contain the fallout from the virus on his reelection campaign.
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people if the economic shutdown continues, deaths by suicide “definitely would be in far greater numbers than the COVID-19 deaths”.
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people in the face of increasing infections, “Coronavirus numbers are looking MUCH better, going down almost everywhere,” and cases are “coming way down.”
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people the pandemic is “fading away. It’s going to fade away. It is getting under control.”
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people “99% of COVID-19 cases are totally harmless.”
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people “We now have the lowest Fatality (Mortality) Rate in the World.”
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people “children are virtually immune” to COVID-19.
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people “America is rounding the corner and rounding the final turn” on COVID-19.
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people “Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. We—they’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful. If somebody wants to be tested right now, they’ll be able to be tested.”
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people private-health-insurance companies had “agreed to waive all co-payments for coronavirus treatments, extend insurance coverage to these treatments, and to prevent surprise medical billing.”
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people America has “developed a testing capacity unmatched and unrivaled anywhere in the world, and it’s not even close.”
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people the FDA had approved the antimalarial drug chloroquine to treat COVID-19.
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people, “I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning? … It would be interesting to check that.”
Trump repeatedly, intentionally and falsely represented to the American people taking hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 is safe and effective claiming, “I happen to be a believer in hydroxy. I used it. I had no problem. I happen to be a believer. It doesn’t hurt people.”
As a result of Trump’s patent lies, intentional misrepresentations and systematic campaign of disinformation on COVID-19, hundreds of thousands of Americans have died and untold millions infected by the virus.
COUNT III: Donald J. Trump has flagrantly abused the powers of the President of the United States to the detriment of American national security.
I ask you to return a verdict of “VOTE OUT DONALD J. TRUMP” on November 3, 2020 based on evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that Donald J. Trump has compromised and gravely endangered American national security.
Trump has withheld and suspended $391 million of United States taxpayer funds that Congress had appropriated on a bipartisan basis for the purpose of providing vital military and security assistance to Ukraine to oppose Russian aggression. Faced with the public revelation of his actions, Trump ultimately released the military and security assistance to the Government of Ukraine but has persisted in openly and corruptly urging and soliciting Ukraine to undertake investigations for his personal political benefit.
Trump solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 United States Presidential election by soliciting the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations that would benefit his reelection, harm the election prospects of a political opponent, and influence the 2020 United States Presidential election.
Trump engaged in this scheme or course of conduct for corrupt purposes in pursuit of personal political benefit endangering and compromising the national security of the United States and undermining the integrity of the United States democratic process.
Friends, Americans, countrymen and women, lend me your ears!
Before you return your verdict on re-electing or voting out Donald J. Trump from the office of the President of the United States, I ask you to answer the following questions to yourself with clear conscience, honesty, integrity and a sense of solemn civic duty:
Are you better off today than you were four years ago?
Do you feel healthier today than four years ago?
Do you have better health care services today than four years ago?
Do you have more job security today than four years ago?
Do you have better employment opportunities today than four years ago?
Do you have more peace of mind today than four years ago?
Is your family better off today than four years ago?
Are your children better off today than four years ago?
Are you more anxious, uptight, apprehensive and downright scared about your future than four years ago?
Is your small business better off today than four years ago?
Do you believe your small business will survive, thrive and expand given your present circumstances?
Are you OK with the fact that well over 230 thousand Americans have died needlessly and over 9 million infected by COVID-9 through the depraved indifference of Trump?
Are you OK with a president who is a pathological liar?
Are you OK your president does not give a damn about YOU as he swaggers in public as a super-spreader of Covid-19?
Are you OK over 210 thousand deaths have occurred because Trump ignored and downplayed Covid-19 threat?
Are you OK with a president who trashes the Constitution he took an oath to uphold?
Are you OK with the fact that Trump makes false claims to undermine confidence in the electoral system and cast doubt on the legitimacy of the votes and declaring he “will not necessarily accept the result if he is defeated”?
Are you OK with a president who pardons convicted dangerous criminals while mouthing off rule of law and scorning federal judges and demeaning the legal process?
Are you OK with a 2020 deficit (how much more the federal government spends than it receives) which tripled in 2020 to its highest percentage of GDP since WWII?
Are you OK with a national debt of $27 trillion (with a “T”)?
Are you OK with carrying a $27 trillion debt and passing it on as a bitter legacy to your children and grandchildren?
Are you OK with the fact that your personal share of the national debt is $217,000.
Are you OK with the fact that the U.S. trade deficit (net balance of exports and imports of goods) in 2020 is $830 billion?
Are you OK with the fact that the “United States ran a deficit in goods trade of $80.1 billion in July, 2020, the highest on record”?
Are you OK with the fact that an American tax payer earning $25 thousand a year in 2016-17 paid $1,131 in income taxes in 2016 while Trump paid only $750 (seven hundred fifty) during that period? Are you OK with the fact that Trump paid no taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years?
Are you OK with the fact that Trump is “personally responsible for more than $420 million in debt, most of which is coming due within the next four years”? Do you wonder who are Trump’s debtholders? (Russian oligarchs? Say, what?!)
Are you OK with the fact that “Wall Street feasts on federal coronavirus aid while Main Street starves”?
Are you OK with the fact that prescription drug abuse and opioid deaths “has grown into a much more complicated and deadly drug overdose epidemic” in America?
Are you OK with the fact that college education is increasingly becoming out of reach for low- and middle-income students?
Are you OK with the fact that American college student loan debt in 2020 is a crippling $1.6 trillion?
Are you OK with the fact that over 100 thousand small businesses have closed forever as mega financial institutions, auto manufacturers, airlines and other industries are bailed out by the Feds?
Are you OK with the fact that nearly 60% of all small business owners say they’re worried about permanently closing?
Are you OK with the fact that 27 million Americans in 2020 have no health insurance?
Are you OK with the fact that in “the first half of 2020, 43.4 percent of U.S. adults ages 19 to 64 were inadequately insured”?
Are you OK with the fact that 23 million Americans will lose health care coverage under the Affordable Health Care Act as the U.S. Supreme Court with a conservative majority will strike down the law in the next few months?
Are you Ok with the fact that “40 million Americans live in poverty” making the U.S. “U.S. most unequal developed nation”?
Are you OK with the fact that “29 million, or 11 percent of adults in the United States” do not have enough to eat?
Are you OK with the fact that over 12 million American children live in extreme poverty?
Are you OK with the fact that “18- to 24-year-olds in America today have among the highest rates of poverty of any age group”?
Are you OK with the fact that “24 million Americans were unable to pay rent in August 2020”?
Are you OK with the fact that “one-third of American households owed money for missed rent or mortgage payments from previous months at the beginning of August 2020”?
Are you OK with the fact that “Americans who have never had to rely on food assistance before are turning to local organizations for food aid”?
Are you OK with the idea that the state, the government, owns a woman’s womb and has the right under penalty of law to force her to endure an unwanted pregnancy?
Are you OK with the fact that women in America are “paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men, amounting to an annual gender wage gap of $10,194”?
Are you OK with the fact that “American police shoot, kill and imprison more people than other developed countries”?
Are you OK with the fact that police have killed 839 people (as of this writing) in 2020, of which African Americans represented 28% (235 victims) of those killed despite being only 13% of the population?
Are you OK with the fact that you as a taxpayer have to foot the bill for police misconduct in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually?
Are you OK with the fact that your online and offline activities are being tracked and monitored and your privacy compromised by big data collection companies and government with total impunity?
Are you OK with the fact that nearly 60 thousand federal prisoners (38%) in 2020 are African Americans in despite being 12% of the population?
Are you OK with an antiquated U.S. immigration policy in total disarray?
Are you OK with the fact that the U.S will increasingly experience extreme climate and weather events with devastating impact on human safety, infrastructure, agriculture, water quality and quantity, and natural ecosystems because Trump is dismissive of climate change just as he was of Covid 19?
Are you OK with a president who refuses to condemn white supremacists and encourages white extremists and terrorists to stand back and stand by?
Are you OK with the fact that domestic right wing terrorists are secretly planning and scheming to kidnap and kill state governors and other officials?
Are you part of the “42% of Americans calling race relations extremely important to their vote in 2020 on par with the economy and health care”?
Are you OK with Russian meddling in U.S. elections?
Are you OK with the fact that American visitors are banned from Europe and other countries as Covid 19 vectors?
Are you OK with the fact that an American passport which was regarded as a golden ticket for holders to trot around the globe with ease is today is a badge of shame?
Are you OK with the fact that America once respected and feared throughout the world is today held in contempt and pity as a nation with no moral compass and in political disarray?
Are you OK with privatization of public education where private profit is given priority over public benefit?
Based on the facts of the past 4 years, do you believe the next 4 under Trump will be better for you and your family?
Friends, Americans, countrymen and women, lend me your ears!
Donald J. Trump is an existential and imminent threat to the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of the vast majority of Americans.
America is at inflection point, a point of return from the brink of national disaster or no return and plunge into the dark abyss.
Friends, Americans, countrymen and women!
The Constitution defended, protected and preserved the United States of America.
The Constitution of the United States of America SAVED America for 233 years.
Friends, Americans, countrymen and women!
I now ask you to SAVE the Constitution of the United States of America from Donald J. Trump!
The 19th century British Prime Minister William Gladstone once proclaimed, “The Constitution of the United States of America is the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man”.
YES, the Constitution of the United States of America MADE AMERICA GREAT.
On November 3, 2020, LET US MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN BY VOTING FOR THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND VOTING OUT DONALD J. TRUMP.
Friends, Americans, countrymen and women!
On November 3, 2020, V.O.T.E. (Voice of the Electorate) and let Donald J Trump hear you loud and clear: YOU ARE FIRED!
DONALD J TRUMP, YOU ARE FIRED!!!
