Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tried to claim this week that the whistleblower has to reveal him or herself to Donald Trump because “it is in the Constitution.”
Paul participated in Trump’s rally on Monday night in Kentucky, where he urged the media to reveal the whistleblower’s name. Just a day after, Paul told Fox Business that the 6th Amendment keeps the whistleblower from remaining anonymous.
“Well the Sixth Amendment is pretty clear,” Paul told Fox Business host Stuart Varney on Tuesday. “It is part of the Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights.”
“It says you get to confront your accusers,” he added. “So I think it is very clear the only constitutional mandate here, if someone will accuse you of something that might remove the president from office, for goodness sakes shouldn’t they come forward to present their accusations in person?”
Legal experts, however, say that the right to face one’s accuser only applies in criminal cases.
Paul’s remarks were also shut down by Twitter users:
Yeah, nice try @RandPaul Do you not know the 6th Amendment applies to criminal proceedings, or do you not care about your own credibility?
Or both?— Devin Nunes’ Lawyer (@MarylouMFerrara) November 5, 2019
@RandPaul might want to read the 6th amendment again, chief. It talks about “criminal defendants” in civil cases. For a libertarian, you sure are a dumbass when it comes to the constitution. Your father must be so disappointed in what you’ve made of the movement he left for you.
— John Thorsson (@thorsson_john) November 5, 2019
When you have no defense for your idiotic statements just try using a bastardized interpretation of the constitution and walk away.
It's been working for them for years with the Second Ammendment #2A
— nutzopalace (@nutzopalace) November 5, 2019
“you can’t get fired from a job without the Sixth Amendment” – Rand Paul, apparently
— Chris Barton (@itsChrisBarton) November 5, 2019
Impeachment is not a criminal procedure, and the Sixth Amendment doesn't apply.
— Rob– it's totally quid pro quo (@robwithanh) November 5, 2019
@RandPaul SHOULD be smart enough to understand that the whistleblower made NO criminal accusations.
He or she simply reported innapropriate conduct by the "president".
The 6th Amendment clause he refers to applies to judicial proceedings.— Paul Geaux (@PGeaux) November 5, 2019
Certain Networks? It's because of the Constitution we are demanding impeachment! Not because we don;t like the guy! Because he is abusing his powers for his own enrichments! @RandPaul the 6th amendment is just that. It is not in the body of the Constitution where imperachemnt is!
— Jeff Morris (@JeffreyMorris7) November 5, 2019
