Debra Messing: American actor and activist Debra Messing talked up former president Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in a social media conversation with Neal Katyal, former Acting Solicitor General of the United States.
During the conversation with the MSNBC contributor, Debra Messing commented that Trump’s legal team has “no leg to stand on”. The Hollywood actor also brushed off their defence by calling it “bogus”.
On 8 February, Katyal participated in a discussion over the senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump with Messing on Instagram live. He has formerly served as acting solicitor general in the Barack Obama White House.
Debra Messing shared the video clip, putting out a few questions regarding the forthcoming trial on Instagram.
“NEAL KATYAL a constitutional expert and former Acting Solicitor General. The 2nd Impeachment trial of Donald Trump starts TOMORROW. What’s going to happen? "
"How is this different than the last trial? Since it is constitutional to convict a former President, how do we ensure our Senators vote based on the Facts and Evidence, and not dodge making a determination of Guilt or Innocence by saying that the trial is unconstitutional?” Debra Messing wrote in the caption.
Neal suggested that a "special verdict" would make it difficult for Trump's legal team to defend him. He suggested that the viewers must pressure the senator to support such a verdict. Katyal went on to mention that doing so would raise two major questions- did Trump incite violence on January 6, and is it legal to impeach a former government official. Trump's legal team cannot "dodge" such issues in hand, he pointed out.
The constitutional expert has been bent on supporting the idea of removing the former US President from the office. He even argued for the same in his book Impeach: The Case Against Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Debra Messing agreed with Katyal and urged the viewers to do as he suggested.
Previously, during a discussion with MSNBC’s Ari Melber, Neal Katyal ridiculed Trump’s defence. Last week, attorney Bruce Castor argued on Fox News that “by the House impeachment resolution logic, they can go back and impeach” former President Abraham Lincoln.
In response to a statement made by Trump’s attorney, Katyal said, “Donald Trump has made a lot of stupid legal arguments over the years. But Ari, this one I think takes the cake for being the most stupid.”
“The Constitution’s text has two punishments in it; removal from office and disqualification from office-holding, a lifetime ban,” he continued. “And I’m not sure who needs to know this, but you can’t remove a dead person and you can’t give a dead person a lifetime ban,” he added.
On 10 December 2020, the Will and Grace actor expressed on Twitter that she hopes President Trump ends up in jail and he will become the “most popular boyfriend” among the inmates.
"AMERICA. THIS is a LEADER.@realDonaldTrump you are a weak, scared, stupid, inept, negligent, vindictive, narcissistic, criminal. I hope you live a long life in prison where you become the most popular boyfriend to the all inmates," the tweet read which has now been deleted.
Later, when the comment faced flak on social media, Messing shared a follow-up tweet defending her statement.
“Rape is an act of violence. Trump has perpetrated violence on hundreds of millions of people. My hope is (and this is the first time in my life) that the tables are turned and he is the victim of perpetrators,” the actor wrote in the follow-up tweet.
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