Comparisons to civil or criminal litigation are of only limited use because impeachment is a different sort of thing. It is practically impossible for a Presidential impeachment to have completely independent and impartial jurors and fact-finders. I say that even if it were not heard in the Senate.
In this particular case the problem of impartiality is even more pronounced. Where aside from normal political conflicts of interest, many victims are also jurors. However, it is really just the nature of all Presidential impeachment proceedings. But this can not, or at least should not, be seen as a specific defect in the US constitution. Unless one wants to argue that it should not exist at all. That no redress other than electoral should be permitted. Otherwise we must accept it with its flaws. While still striving to come as close as possible to our ideal of justice.
Comparisons to civil or criminal litigation are of only limited use because impeachment is a different sort of thing. It is practically impossible for a Presidential impeachment to have completely independent and impartial jurors and fact-finders. I say that even if it were not heard in the Senate.
In this particular case the problem of impartiality is even more pronounced. Where aside from normal political conflicts of interest, many victims are also jurors. However, it is really just the nature of all Presidential impeachment proceedings. But this can not, or at least should not, be seen as a specific defect in the US constitution. Unless one wants to argue that it should not exist at all. That no redress other than electoral should be permitted. Otherwise we must accept it with its flaws. While still striving to come as close as possible to our ideal of justice.