Rep. Barbara Jordan’s ‘Stirring’ Constitutional Insight Gets Emotional Tribute on Morning Joe: I Hope ‘Every Senator’ Remembers Her Words Now
Paul Butler is a Professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and considered a leading criminal law scholar, particularly in the area of race and jury nullification. He appeared on Morning Joe Friday morning and gave an emotional tribute to former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, a pioneer in racial justice and constitutional law.
At issue, of course, is the ongoing, and second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, and the constitutionality of impeaching an elected official after they have left office. Trump’s defense team is likely to focus on an academic and procedural interpretation of the Constitution, which effectively makes moot the entirety of the House Managers’ compelling argument that Trump did in fact incite the deadly insurrection on Jan. 6 by his supporters.
Butler argued in a Washington Post column published Thursday why Republican Senators can—and should—vote to convict Trump, which he opined on during his Friday appearance. But it was his celebration of Rep. Jordan that stood out to me, given the context of the current impeachment debate and her words featured by Professor Butler.
“Especially this black history month, I’m thinking about Barbara Jordan, the great civil rights leader and congresswoman from Texas,” Butler introduced, citing “one of the great political speeches” Jordan gave when Congress was considering the impeachment of Richard Nixon.”
“She said the Constitution had an elegant beginning, ‘We the people,” but it didn’t include her,” Butler explained. “Then, but ‘she’s now included,’ and she said her faith in the constitution is complete.”
“And then some of the most stirring words ever uttered on the House floor,” Butler added, quoting Jordan saying “I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the constitution.”
“During this second impeachment trial, I hope that every Senator on that floor remembers those words and is inspired by this African-American woman,” he concluded.
Butler’s celebration of Jordan came as part of a Black History Month feature on Morning Joe, but her words transcend her race, regardless of her deserved role as a civil rights pioneer.
Watch above via MSNBC.
