Rep. John Rose, resident spar over Trump, charges

Jan. 8—Congressman John Rose, R-Tennessee, sparred with a constituent Thursday over the comments the lawmaker made regarding the rule of law — which did not include any comments regarding former President Donald Trump.

"If you want to challenge President Biden, you should do that. That's your responsibility. But you cannot do that without acknowledging the conduct of Donald J. Trump," Steve Douglas, of Crossville, said during the annual Legislative Breakfast, which brings lawmakers to speak before community members and business leaders.

Douglas is a former Cumberland County General Sessions judge and continues to practice law.

Trump is facing a myriad of criminal charges and civil lawsuits. Douglas referred to him as the "the poster child to the challenge of the rule of law." He is also the leading candidate for the Republican nomination for president on the 2024 ballot.

Rose, who noted he, too, is a lawyer, said that "indictments are not convictions," and said that much of the legal proceedings against Trump are "politically motivated."

"We have a system of justice in this country, and that is proceeding," Rose said. "My own strong belief is that we should have a system of justice, and we should hold our leaders accountable, and they should be held to the same standards as we're held to.

"But we should not see the criminal justice system being used as it is to subvert the political process in this country."

Rose added that it was "unprecedented" for one administration to use the power of the office to "go after" the prior president "on charges that are, in some cases, spurious, but are certainly politically motivated."

House Republicans have pursued an impeachment inquiry seeking to tie Democratic President Joe Biden to his son's business dealings. While they say their inquiry is ultimately focused on the president, they have taken interest in Biden's son, Hunter, and his overseas business dealings, from which they accuse the president of personally benefiting.

The probe began in December. Rose said the Republican House members were seeking to gather evidence and build a case. However, he said he is against a "rush" and the House should ensure it meets the high bar for impeachment and a two-thirds majority in a trial in the U.S. Senate.

"If we cannot see a path to impeaching the current president, then I think it would be folly for us to go down that path," Rose said. "That's my own view."

This is an election year, Rose noted, adding, "Ultimately, the verdict on the current president and his administration and the work that he's done, in my personal opinion, needs to be rendered by the American people at the ballot box next November. That's how we've historically have settled these issues in America."

However, Rose has cast doubts on the results of the 2020 presidential election and voted against certifying the results of the presidential elections in Arizona and Pennsylvania. He signed on to formal objections against the vote tallies from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin; however, only Arizona and Pennsylvania received the signature of at least one U.S. Senator which trigged both a debate and vote.

Prior to the Jan. 6, 2021, certification, Rose issued a statement stating he had heard from many in his district raising concerns over the 2020 election process.

There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election process. Just this week, a voter data expert hired by the Trump campaign to find voter fraud, said in a USA Today op-ed that there was no evidence of voter fraud sufficient to change the outcome of the election.

A riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, delayed Congress as it met to certify the results of the Electoral College. Hundreds of people have been convicted of crimes related to the attack.

Trump's actions in the aftermath of the election have drawn multiple indictments in state and federal investigations.

Trump faces federal charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.

In Georgia, Trump and 18 others were charged with various crimes related to efforts to overturn the former president's 2020 electoral defeat. Trump's charges include solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer, filing false documents, and violation of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

Four people have pled guilty in the Georgia case.

Trump is also facing federal charges related to classified documents found at his Florida home and state charges in New York related to falsifying business records.

Trump has denied all the charges and characterized the prosecutions as politically motivated.

As Rose prepares to return to Washington, DC, he noted difficult decisions are ahead. A portion of a November continuing resolution to fund the government expires Jan. 19, and the remainder expires Feb. 2.

Rose said the Biden administration has proposed funding to aid Israel, Ukraine and other allies. However, he said the administration has not proposed funding cuts in other areas to pay for that support. Republicans proposed funding to assist Israel, paid for by reducing enforcement funding for the Internal Revenue Service.

Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com.