Saturday Open Thread | Rep. Joaquin Castro: Trump Could Be Impeached If He Overstepped Authority On Travel Ban

Posted on February 4, 2017 by SouthernGirl2

joaquin-castroRep. Joaquin Castro warned Tuesday that if the White House has ordered the US Customs and Border Protection Agency to ignore judicial stays against the controversial refugee travel ban, Congress must begin the process of formally censuring — and potentially impeaching — President Donald Trump.

In an interview with BuzzFeed News, the Texas Democrat also joined other Democrats including Senate Assistant Minority Leader Dick Durbin in calling for Congress to “investigate whether President Trump intentionally exceeded his constitutional authority.” They argue that if he has, Congress must take steps to censure or ultimately impeach Trump, warning the country risks essentially becoming a “military junta.”

CBP spokesperson Gillian Christensen denied the agency was directed to ignore court orders halting enforcement of the executive order.

“CBP officers are not detaining anyone. Green card holders who arrive in the US have to go through secondary screening but that process is working smoothly and relatively quickly,” Christensen said. “Furthermore, visa holders who would be affected by the executive order are being denied boarding at their point of departure so they are not even making it into the US.”

Christensen also pointed to a statement issued on Monday by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly in which he insisted “since the court orders related to the executive order were issued over the weekend, CBP immediately began taking steps to be in compliance. We are and will remain in compliance with judicial orders.”

Despite those assurances, questions remain. Throughout the weekend immigration attorneys accused CBP agents at airports of attempting to deport people, refusing them access to clients, or generally ignoring all or portions of the various court orders halting the executive order.

Combined with an administration that has repeatedly lied, Democrats remain skeptical. If the White House has indeed directed CBP to ignore the rulings, “there should be a resolution of censure. And if he does it again, there should be articles of impeachment,” Castro said.

Castro said he is increasingly concerned with Trump’s consolidation of power within the White House. “There’s no longer any checks and balances,” Castro said, adding that if Trump is indeed flouting court orders, “you’re basically living in a military junta.”

About SouthernGirl2

A Native Texan who adores baby kittens, loves horses, rodeos, pomegranates, & collect Eagles. Enjoys politics, games shows, & dancing to all types of music. Loves discussing and learning about different cultures. A Phi Theta Kappa lifetime member with a passion for Social & Civil Justice.
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73 Responses to Saturday Open Thread | Rep. Joaquin Castro: Trump Could Be Impeached If He Overstepped Authority On Travel Ban

  2. rikyrah says:
    February 4, 2017 at 9:45 pm

    This is a sincere question:

    Where do I find a piece of an aloe plant? Where can I buy it?

    I don’t want to grow one. I need the gel for my hair.

    Reply
    • yahtzeebutterfly says:
      February 4, 2017 at 10:13 pm

      Health food stores sell bottles and tubes of pure aloe gel.

      Reply
    • eliihass says:
      February 4, 2017 at 10:37 pm

      Natural grocery stores…or a well-stocked nursery will usually sell the aloe plant…which you can buy and tend and have handy for your very own unlimited use and supply…

      If you have a Trader Joe’s…they sell the pure aloe juice in a gallon…sometimes it’s comes thick enough so that you can use on your hair I suppose…or as a rinse for your hair…or to simply dilute to drink directly for other health benefits…

      Reply
  3. eliihass says:
    February 4, 2017 at 8:35 pm

    Australian ad …banned in the U.S..

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ItuaNnATPjs

    Reply
  8. rikyrah says:
    February 4, 2017 at 8:08 pm

    Judd Legum Verified account
    ‏@JuddLegum

    1. Trump announced his plans to gut financial regulations today? Key question: How will this benefit the firms to which he owes money?

    Judd Legum ‏@JuddLegum Feb 3

    2. What kind of favorable refinancing has Trump been able to achieve just since winning the election?

    Judd Legum ‏@JuddLegum Feb 3

    3. Trump said the move would benefit “his friends.” Which friends?

    Judd Legum ‏@JuddLegum Feb 3

    4. Trump’s continued ownership of his businesses is the most serious conflict of interest in US history

    Judd Legum ‏@JuddLegum Feb 3

    5. It’s getting ZERO scrutiny from this Congress

    Reply
  9. eliihass says:
    February 4, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    “…Europe is having more fun at President Trump’s expense. It all started when a Dutch satirical show produced a cheeky tourism ad introducing the U.S. President to the “tiny country” and asking Trump (in his own voice) if he would make ‘The Netherlands Second?’

    After a spoof of Trump’s “America First” slogan from the Netherlands went viral, the Swiss comedy show Deville Late Night made the case for “Switzerland Second.” Switzerland was the first to respond with a “Switzerland Second” video made by the satirical TV show Deville Late Night’s on SRF channel:

    http://usanewspost.com/7-european-countries-just-made-hilarious-trump-parody-videos-wont-stop-laughing/

    Reply
  13. eliihass says:
    February 4, 2017 at 7:24 pm

    These are the scummiest of scumiest and lowliest of lowlife black folks that ‘thrive’ when white supremacists try to make the weakest overtures…and only attempts at covering their already brazen racism…

    The racists pick the greediest, slimiest black idiots –greedy, useful idiots amusingly running around masquerading as ‘pastors’…this one and omarosa…’pastors’…LOL…

    And God said not for me..

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BQGU8Vagap5/

    Reply
  19. Ametia says:
    February 4, 2017 at 6:08 pm

    Hello Everyone, Long day for me, with travels up north for the weekend. going to ee I’M NOT YOUR NEGRO right now.

    Reply
  29. rikyrah says:
    February 4, 2017 at 5:28 pm

    As Senate offices are overwhelmed with calls against DeVos, supporters resort to shady tactics
    A group linked to DeVos is reportedly paying people to support her nomination.

    As opposition to Betsy DeVos’ nomination for education secretary grows, DeVos’ supporters are reportedly resorting to shady tactics, such as paying people to support her. After DeVos’ confirmation hearing — during which she showed a deep lack of knowledge on major education policy issues — thousands of people called their senators’ offices, asking them not to support DeVos.

    Teachers, students, and parents held hundreds of protests across the country opposing her nomination. Democratic senators have been particularly vocal in their opposition to DeVos — Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) explained her staunch opposition in the New York Times. And on Wednesday, two Republican senators, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), and Sen. Lisa Ann Murkowski (R-AK), said they would not vote for DeVos to become the next education secretary. Only one more Republican senator would need to vote against DeVos to break a tie, with the final Senate vote expected Tuesday.

    Due to the overwhelming opposition to DeVos, someone is paying sites to pay people to go to SupportDeVos.com, a website that is run by American Federation for Children, which was formerly led by DeVos, and voice their support for her nomination, Jezebel’s The Slot reported. Jezebel spotted these requests on Swagbucks.com and Instagc.com, sites where people can earn money through filling out surveys or watching videos with advertisements.

    When Jezebel made calls to American Federation for Children, Dean Petrone, CEO of GoBigMedia, who said he was handling media requests, said “these ads are not the property of AFC.” These requests for support disappeared soon after they received press attention.

    The LIBRE Initiative, which calls itself non-partisan but is a pet project of the Koch brothers, is also trying to drum up support for DeVos. Its mission is to “empower the U.S. Hispanic community.”

    The organization urged its followers on Twitter to call Sens. Collins and Murkowski and claimed Latino students would lose educational opportunities if DeVos is not confirmed.

    Reply
  30. eliihass says:
    February 4, 2017 at 5:28 pm

    This Carol Swain woman…God help us…

    First she was brought on to jig and coon for Jeff Sessions…today the wheel her out to attack and blame President Obama and to defend the buffoon and the white supremacists that surround him…

    The media always has to conjure up their convenient token black face…they always manage to find and have on the most damaged, most self-loathing, most soulless, most offensive and embarrassingly and shamelessly inarticulate coons paraded to support the most offensive and most racist actions of white supremacy…

    Reply
  34. eliihass says:
    February 4, 2017 at 5:08 pm

    This is how the media…and even the ones that were so viscerally pro-Hillary – keep deliberately and cowardly murkying up the reports they feed their audience …glossing over brazen evil…with their mealy-mouthed, unbelievably weak, ‘both sides do it’ narratives that completely give stark raving madness, incompetence, and pure evil a pass…

    This is from Dan Merica – CNN..

    “…Donald Trump spent months running against Barack Obama’s leadership style, faulting him for being “weak and ineffective” on Iran, lacking of focus the “real” job numbers and inability to combat ISIS because he was the group’s “founder.” What a difference a few months makes.

    Trump and his White House advisers are now using Obama as a security blanket, making almost identical moves he made during his tenure and defending possible mistakes by arguing that they were initially made by Barack Obama.

    The tactic is familiar: Obama, eight years after he succeeded President George W. Bush, was still blaming the 43rd president for some of the pockmarks on his legacy…”

    http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/04/politics/trump-obama-security-blanket/

    Reply
  43. rikyrah says:
    February 4, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    uh huh
    uh huh

    Michigan GOP Official Calls For ‘Another Kent State’ For Campus Protesters
    “One bullet stops a lot of thuggery,” tweets Dan Adamini in the wake of Berkeley demonstration against Breitbart’s Milo Yiannopoulos.
    02/03/2017 11:09 pm ET | Updated 5 hours ago

    A Republican Party official in northern Michigan has issued what amounts to a death threat against American college protesters, calling for “another Kent State” in the wake of protests at the University of California, Berkeley.

    In 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired on unarmed Kent State University students protesting the U.S. incursion into Cambodia. Guardsmen killed four students and wounded nine, including one who was paralyzed for life.

    Dan Adamini, former chair and current secretary of the Marquette County Republican Party, indicated that a single death might be sufficient to end student protests this time around.

    “I’m thinking another Kent State might be the only solution protest stopped after only one death,” he posted on Facebook on Thursday. “They do it because they know there are no consequences yet.”

    Reply
  44. rikyrah says:
    February 4, 2017 at 4:47 pm

    The Trump administration is showing white nationalists it won’t fight them at all
    The dangers in rebranding a program to stop extremism so it only focuses on “radical Islamic terror.”
    By J.M. Berger February 3

    The Trump administration is reportedly planning to rebrand a government effort to combat violent extremism into one that focuses only on terrorists acting in the name of Islam.

    The program, launched by the Obama administration in 2011, is counterterrorism by other means. It seeks nonkinetic ways to prevent terrorism through various kinds of “soft power” initiatives, from messaging campaigns and community intervention to jobs and education programs. Theoretically, up to now, it’s been targeting all forms of violent extremist ideology, from radical Muslim groups to domestic white nationalists. In practice, though, even under Obama, the focus was almost entirely on Muslims, aside from a tiny handful of mostly invisible grants and programs.

    …………………………………………

    This toxic brew of actions joins a host of other worrisome developments around the administration’s increasingly apparent view that our national identity is primarily white and Christian. Taken individually, some of the controversies and debates over the administration’s staff choices might be considered politics as usual, but it would be foolish to separate them from the typhoon of signals emanating from this White House at every turn. It would be foolish to ignore what the administration is trying so hard to tell us. It would be foolish to let the significance of its message sink beneath the daily eruptions of both legitimate controversy and bizarro world nonsense.

    And its message is stark. It is a message of religious and racial exclusion: the demonization of Islam, slowly moving from coded language to more overt steps, such as declaring that violent extremism is exclusively a Muslim problem; the demonization of vulnerable refugees, especially those who are nonwhite and non-Christian; and targeted attacks on voting rights.
    J.M. Berger studies extremist networks and propaganda as a fellow with the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague. He is co-author with Jessica Stern of “ISIS: The State of Terror” and author of “Jihad Joe: Americans Who Go to War in the Name of Islam

    Reply
  48. SouthernGirl2 says:
    February 4, 2017 at 12:55 pm

    Trump attacking a judge and calling him a “so-called judge cannot be normalized. He has no respect for the rule of law. This is OUTRAGEOUS!

    Reply
    • yahtzeebutterfly says:
      February 4, 2017 at 11:56 am

      What an evil statement by that GOP official!

      I still ache for the four students shot and killed in 1970.
      https://youtu.be/68g76j9VBvM&rel=0
      ” ‘Ohio’ is a protest song written and composed by Neil Young in reaction to the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970, and performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.”

      Reply
  59. rikyrah says:
    February 4, 2017 at 4:24 am

    Good Morning , Everyone 😃😃😃

    Reply

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