You are Mitch McConnell and America has decidedly picked their Supreme Court Justice but you intercede. In a procedural trick you decide who America will have as their Supreme Court Justice. An ineffectual President Obama does not intercede. McConnell becomes the most unethical politician in America.
1
” The House has exclusive authority to impeach the president. The Senate has exclusive authority to “try all impeachments.”
7
To all those persons who have so far been too busy, or who have been ambivalent, or plainly refusing to learn about Trump's overtly corrupt behavior in the office of the president of this Country which prides itself as been the best in the World and an example to all others, I add here the following link which is an easy to read summary, and its facts are verifiable:
https://theintercept.com/2019/12/19/a-z-trump-impeachment/
2
For all those who have so far been too busy or plainly refused to learn about Trump's incredibly crooked behavior just read a brief summary at the following link:
https://theintercept.com/2019/12/19/a-z-trump-impeachment/
3
I remember Adlai Stevenson telling the Soviets, "I am prepared to wait until Hell freezes over." Pelosi should say that to McConnell and wait until they promise to allow her witnesses. If she never sends the impeachment to the Senate, so what? If they will just vote it down without the key witnesses it is meaningless to send it there anyways.
8
As a thought experiment consider this:
it is possible, if not likely, that were trump a seasoned, wise, thoughtful head of state who made one cheesy blunder and got called on the carpet by the Dems, that a number of his own party would also take the opportunity to trounce him in the horse race for status.
As it is, his party is terrified by this egomaniacal wind bag bundle of word salad. And ,while finding him a useful idiot, his political clout in many of their districts colors their judgement and renders them also liars and cheats. Shamefully, like so many things today, we've gone tribal. Break away and you will be hunted down, killed and eaten.
Time is on Nancy's side, however. Time is where things change.
4
Why would the democrats waste the time and money that has been spent on impeachment if they are unwilling to send the articles of impeachment to the senate? Reeks of political rather than judicial process.
7
Mr. McConnell is the President now. If Trump is forced out of the White House, he'll face a dozen different criminal charges and a hundred different lawsuits, so he’s terrified of that possibility. McConnell controls his fate. When McConnell says "We are working closely with the White House”, he means “The White House is dancing to any song I sing now.” On the other hand, a small group of 20 Republican Senators could make McConnell sing and dance by telling him “Hmm, the evidence is starting to look more and more convincing to us.”
4
Dear Speaker Pelosi,
I think I support withholding the Articles. However, you need to think it through carefully. Get some outside opinions from Robert Reich, John Dean, John Kasich, and others. Nothing is to be gained by a non-trial trial in the Senate, which is what McConnell and Graham have promised. If withholding turns sour, you can always send it to the Senate. Here's an idea: say yes we want to nullify the election of 2016 and we are launching a complete investigation of Russian hacking of voting machines and other criminal activities in addition to pursuing additional articles including the New York trump charity scandal. trump always plays dirty. That doesn't mean that you have to play dirty. It means that you have to play louder, tougher, and smarter. Smarter is easy. Louder will be tough.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Carpenter, Tucson
2
Speaker Pelosi is using her power wisely. What is the point of having a serious investigation of Trump's impeachable actions and then turning it over to Mr. McConnell who would create a sham trial in the Senate?
I fully support that the House should wait until they know what kind of Trial will take place in the Senate. There needs to be witnesses and more documents subpoenaed from the White House.
House Republicans complained about the Intel Committee's private and public hearings. Now McConnell wants no witnesses. The Republican hypocrisy is on display and must be challenged.
3
Nancy cracks the whip and Trump whimpers. The lady is brilliant in maintaining control in her court room. Trump is clearly outmatched.
6
Nancy, take the wheels!
2
Speaker Pelosi was right: Trump self-impeached.
And Trump will, before articles of impeachment are presented to the Senate, commit many more bizarre and criminal acts.
Then it will be up to the GOP senators to defend in public the vile goofball in the Oval Office rather than pretend they saw and heard no evil.
2
As a constituent in Pelosi's SF congressional district, I telephoned her DC office, registering my hope she will hold out until McConnell can/will commit to a fair Senate trial. This article gives me hope she will stand firm.
It was sad and disappointing to watch Obama's passivity as McConnell trampled on the right of a president to appoint a Supreme Court nominee. Obama could have, but didn't use any of his executive power to leverage for Garland. And so Obama gave his choice to Trump. I don't believe I'm alone in my disdain for the submissiveness of Democrats.
So it is with great pleasure that I see the fight being waged from the Democrats. The point is McConnell has declared he will run a sham trial for a sham impeachment. However, the impeachment hearings were entirely per protocol but a Senate acquittal would be entirely real and not a sham, whether preceded by a sham or a principled trail. For reason, Pelosi MUST oppose McConnell with every strategy available, forever if need be.
When Democrats lie down in submission, our nation suffers. Remember Garland.
10
I totally agree. Mitch would certainly understand the logic as Nancy pulling a “Garland”on him and waiting until the Dems take the Senate!
5
A few years back I was on jury in a criminal trial here in Ohio. Early on the Prosecution wanted to call a witness to the stand and to introduce some physical evidence. When the Defense objected the Judge said "Overruled." Then the defense attorney turned to us jurors and said, "I know this 'witness', he's biased and the physical evidence is irrelevant. What do you say?" So we took a poll and voted 7 to 5 not to allow either. The Judge said, "Okay, you make the rules."
After the trial we jurors went to deliberate, first selecting a Foreman on a 7 to 5 vote, who immediately blurted, "This whole trial is bogus! I know the defendant .. he's innocent! End of discussion. Let's vote." We did, 7 to 5 "Not Guilty," and sent our verdict to the Judge who sent us a note saying, "But by rule, the verdict must be unanimous." So the Foreman took a vote on whether the verdict had to be unanimous or not, writing to the Judge: "We make the rules and by majority vote we've decided that, A) a majority vote is good enough and, B) the Defendant is not guilty. End of discussion."
We filed back into the courtroom, the Judge read our decisions, adding he had some reservations but, to the jury, "You make the rules." Then he dismissed us and thanked us for our service. As we left I saw the Defendant, Defense Attorney and Foreman choking back giggles as they walked arm in arm from the Courtroom.
1
Enough of this "No one is above the law" nonsense. If I commit a crime, I cannot claim immunity regardless of how important my job is. If I receive a subpoena, it's not optional. If I serve on a jury, there are consequences if I refuse to make an effort to be impartial.
What next? Perjury is optional? No system of government and law can work if compliance is optional. Sooner or later, someone like Trump will come along and exploit these weaknesses.
4
I think Speaker Pelosi is rightly thinking that holding the articles back will put forward the the stark contrast existing between the House doing their job and the Senate doing the president's job. They took an oath of office to be "impartial jurors" and the more the articles sit there waiting for the Senate to grow up, the worse it will look for them, without hurting the democrats.
4
" Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, has complicated the picture for Democrats by asserting that he has no intention of acting as an impartial juror in a Senate trial of Mr. Trump, but would instead do everything in his power, working in concert with the White House, to quickly acquit the president. "
Speaker Pelosi should hold onto the Articles of Impeachment until the structure of the trial is established, otherwise it is just like sending the manager carrying the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate with a suicide vest at this point.
May be Pelosi holds onto the document until the Senate flips in coming election. If Trump is not re-elected, good, that is the preference. If he is re-elected, he will be put on trial by Democratic control Senate and removed accordingly. ( Sentiment may be changing now, the Evangelical magazine published an editorial comment yesterday agreed with the Articles of Impeachment that the President must be removed from the Oval Office.)
5
Seems pretty simple. It's all about public perception. The longer Nancy leaves Trump on low-simmer, the more his support fades. Let's see, recently he got Jeff Van Drew on his side of the ledger, and lost the editorial board of Christianity Today. Huh. I'd say it's working. Bonus round if Trump melts down in public. There's a reason Nancy is only the second, non-consecutive House majority leader in history. She plays this game WAY better than Trump.
7
McConnell says that violating the oath of impartiality is fine with him? Has any politician shown that much disrespect and contempt for the very people who voted for him? Does he really think they don't deserve a fair trial for the president? How could an elected official degrade the best intentions of democracy with such a statement. Either he's lying and doesn't believe it or he is telling the truth and is openly contemptuous of the Republican voter.
3
The President is not officially impeached until the articles of impeachment are sent to the Senate. If the impeachment is valid, then why would one wait to proceed to trial? The Democrats are acting irrationally in this case.
4
Trump is guilty as sin. McConnell knows and acknowledges that Trump is as guilty as sin. There is no way that McConnell is going to allow Pence, Pompeo, Mulvaney or Perry be placed under Congressional oath to tell the truth. The Republican Party would not survive such a debacle.
5
To all those who do not seem to understand:
The second charge is not Disobedience, but Obstruction of Congress.
The charge is Obstruction of Congress which means obstructing Congress from doing its Oversight job which is one of its most import jobs to prevent and stop corruption by government officials including the president.
Trump is used to do whatever he wants in his life such as committing fraud, rapping, and lying to anybody, and he has continued to do that as a president, and he wants you to believe that is both normal and acceptable.
3
" Ms. Pelosi risks appearing to politicize the matter if she withholds the charges for negotiating leverage."
This entire process has been "politicized" from the outset, as EXPECTED, as one side refuses to address the facts, the words and actions of the man in the Oval Office, and has publicly pre-announced the outcome of the "trial".
There is hardly any "risk" at this point. That point happened long ago, when "Reince Priebus" and the RNC allowed this lying, fascist crook to become their candidate.
5
So, the GOP begins by deliberately redefining what quid pro quo means (if you don’t actually say the phrase “quid pro quo” you can extort anything you want to) and now they redefine what a trial means (no witnesses, no evidence, no impartial jury, defendant’s lawyers conniving with GOP jurors, etc.).
5
After three years of Trump and Republican obstruction, Republicans have become easy to predict.
It is my belief that Senator McConnell intended to pull a preemptive strike as Barr did with the Mueller report, and he was so excited with his own cleverness, that he let his mouth get ahead of his brain shot his mouth too soon.
His assumption must have been that Democrats are so lame, and followers of the law, that they would immediately rush to give him the indictment. Not. He miscalculated the mind of Pelosi again. Now Mitch is stuck dealing with a menacing Trump bouncing off the walls and trapped in a house too small for his ego.
Merry Christmas to you Mitch.
As soon as he babbled to the cameras the cover was up.
The other possibility is that he was coming back from a face to face with Trump, at which meeting, Trump blew his top and demanded that Mitch goes to the cameras and set himself ablaze on his behalf by speaking to the cameras. We know that is what he did with Ukraine when he demanded that an investigation be announced. He wanted Mitch in Box and he got him in a box against Mitch's wishes.
Oh well. Enjoy some of your medicine Mitch.
6
Senator McConnell and others say they need not impartially hear all the relevant evidence at the impeachment trial. Chief Justice Roberts will preside over trial. Perhaps he should be asked to disqualify from trial those Senators who have prejudged the charges, refused to hear all the evidence or otherwise violated their sworn oath to execute their Constitutional impeachment duties impartially. That would guarantee the country a fair trial and the Chief Justice’s place in American history
14
Dear Ms. Pelosi: Hold the articles of impeachment until the November election and asks voters to vote according to their beliefs on whether Trump has acted wrongly and violated the Constitution, or not.
15
Prof. Feldman of Harvard claims that the impeachment isn't an "Impeachment" until the articles are transmitted to the Senate. If he's correct, Pelosi can delay but eventually she has to relent. I don't think she's got much of a lever here. The democrats have to concentrate all their efforts and energy on the 2020 elections. This is the only way to get rid of these people.
6
@JB
He's an outlier. Most Constitutional scholars disagree.
4
This is bizarre: the time to call new witnesses was during impeachment inquiry and before the impeachment votes, not during the Senate trial if it ever happens.
The president does not serve at the pleasure of the Congress. So, "Obstruction of Congress" is a preposterous article of impeachment.
Abuse of power could be anything: Obama granting reprieve to Dreamers would be an abuse of power if Republicans chose to view it that way..
FAIR TRIAL should be the worry of the impeached, Trump. It is laughable that the impeaching body is worried about Fair Trial considering that the Senate is controlled by Republicans who, with near unanimity, consider the charges absurd and who are sympathetic to the impeached.
Pelosi vowed not to seek Speakership beyond this term ending in December 2020. Looks like she may not want the Dems to return to majority, given that she will not be the Speaker come January 2021 - one way or another.
Why isn't the Times criticizing Pelosi's moves rather than simply report it?
8
@PiSonny First learn to read, then learn to reason: The charge is Obstruction of Congress which means obstructing Congress from doing its Oversight job which is one of its most import jobs to prevent and stop corruption by government officials including the president.
And, pay attention the charge is not Disobedience, but Obstruction of Congress.
2
So much for the immediate need to save the Nation and its Constitution. That will have to take a back seat to politics I suppose..
5
According to members of Congress who voted to impeach, the Trump presidency constitutes a national emergency and impeachment couldn't wait a few months for courts to clarify if additional testimony, which in theory might be exculpatory of the president, could be elicited.
But evidently it isn't enough a national emergency to send the indictment to the Senate. It can wait a few months after all!
This is why most people I know are either uninterested in what's going on or cynical about it.
8
@Cyclist Yes, as you suggest, why not let the criminal keep his crime spree running.
1
Help me understand something. Both McConnell and Graham have both publicly stated that they have made up their minds to exonerate President Trump in the Senate trial.
Wouldn't that disqualify them from sitting on the jury?
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@Cindy B.
No because it is a political not a criminal trial. Just look at the "subpoenas" handed out to by the House that most ignored. In a political trial subpoenas obviously mean nothing.
This is all just a bunch of rich, old, almost exclusively white politicians acting like the spoiled children they are.
There is a funny meme floating around with a picture of Ivanka Trump and the caption: "Look daddy, I'm governmenting!" That meme applies to Donald Trump, Pelosi, Graham, AOC, Schumer, McConnell, the whole filthy lot of them.
I’m not sure how this is going to be received at the end of the day. But I’m sure happy to see someone actually willing to go out and try to play hardball on the Democratic side. First sign of a killer instinct I’ve seen in a long time.
9
This is a very strategic move on her part. What is missing here is this: by not sending them to the Senate, the House could bring more charges should more evidence emerge. Obviously if Speaker Pelosi sends them now, then the trial (such as it would be a real trial given how the GOP jury has no interest in facts) would be short. And Trump would remain in office, able to do anything he wants to win re-election. As it is, he might have to be a tad bit more careful, not that he would be able to do that. McConnell may think he is dealing with a ditzy woman. Well, that just isn't so is it? She is our heroine.
3
@eric In other words, it's sort of like a permanent impeachment war? Like the US troops in like Iraq or Afghanistan, the investigations are never really going to end, ever. Welcome to the new normal.
4
The impeachment inquiry gave Pelosi what she wanted - exposure of Trumps illegalities and incompetence. The Senate trial will give Trump what he wants - acquittal. Guess who is holding the cards. It will be funny to see how long it takes before McConnell and Graham realize that. Even the majority of republican voters want witnesses in the trial.
5
The White House is concealing documents. They hid the Ukraine call on a super-secret server. They barred staff from testifying.
Why? Just because Trump doesn't like Democrats?
I'm sure Hillary Clinton wasn't thrilled about endless investigations and conspiracy theories, but she showed up to testify at the Benghazi hearings.
Anyone innocent of wrongdoing would not need to hide. It seems the more he has to hide, the more rage shows up in his tweets.
9
I don't get it. The Republicans have been playing stonewall since well before Trump was elected. Recall McConnell himself terminally stonewalled the nomination of Obama's Supreme Court nominee for a year.
Now Pelosi is doing it for him; she's inviting him to send her nothing, ever. Why should he, when not cooperating means the trial will not happen?! And then the Republicans can shout from the rooftops the Dems cowarded out because their whole show was built on nothing in the first place. That will play well in an election campaign year...
5
The House's job was to convince a significant number of Republicans that President Trump deserved to be impeached and removed from office. They chose to preach to the choir instead. Rather than wait for the courts to determine if the President's claims of Executive Privilege were legitimate or not they created the trumped up charge (pun intended) of Obstruction of Congress and rammed through a nakedly partisan vote because it supposedly couldn't wait. Now that they realize that Republican Senators are siding with their voters who overwhelmingly do not support impeachment or removal, they are putting on the breaks?
Do we really need any more proof that this is a nakedly partisan process bought about by the Democrats utter unwillingness to accept the results of the 2016 election? Run a likable candidate on the Democratic Party's platform from 10 years ago and vanquish Trump in an electoral landslide. Keep pandering to the woke Twitter vote and get ready for 4 more years of Trump and at least a Republican Senate if not House.
6
Can the House hold over articles of impeachment from one congress to a new one? Or would the articles 'expire' as most bills do? If the House could wait until 2020, Pelosi's move would seem just like McConnell's decision to refuse considering Merrick Garland; creating an actionable issue to motivate voters in the coming election.
1
Nancy is right. If there is going to be a pre-ordained trial without witnesses or documents, there should be no trial at all.
6
If the Democrats had just let Trump do his thing for the past 3 years, they would be heading into November 2020 with an easy win.
When it comes to people like Trump you just give them the rope and let them hang themselves. The Democrats couldn't do that. And now they are the ones hanging from the rafters in the barn. Trump is winning because of the Democrats' foolhardy attempts at trying to have him thrown out of office.
They couldn't be patient and allow the people to decide.
The Democrats don't have any faith in the American public. They feel the need to spoon-feed the populous because they don't trust the populous.
6
Trump will flood the mass media with his lies and assertions that all who contradict are spreading falsehoods. Republicans will repeat his misrepresentations, and Trump’s supporters will disbelieve all who contradict him. Same story since he sought the Republican nomination. The people in the middle will believe that Trump’s acts do not merit an impeachment trial, anymore. As sad as that is for our democracy and our liberties, that’s what is going to happen.
Worse for all, Republican voters will remain mesmerized by Trump’s image as their true champion and assure that he is that Party’s candidate. If the consequences of his deficits and trade wars have not yet produced doubts about Trump economic policies, he may be re-elected.
1
@Casual Observer
I suspect that Putin is behind the tariffs that are hurting America and the farmers. There is no other logical reason for them. They are not orthodox conservatism.
I read that Trump just believed Vlad when he was told it was Ukraine who meddled in 2016 not Russia.
All roads lead to Putin who must have something very shocking on Donald
2
I heard Speaker Pelosi make the comment, “It reminded me that our founders, when they wrote the Constitution, they suspected there could be a rogue president. I don’t think they suspected we could have a rogue president and a rogue leader in the Senate at the same time,”
That got me thinking...in December of 1954, a rogue Senator McCarthy of my beloved state of WI was finally condemned by the Senate for conduct unbecoming of a Senator. As Joseph Welch so clearly stated during hearings earlier that year, “Until this moment, senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness.”
We now have a different Senator McCarthy in the name of Senator McConnell whose cruelty and recklessness also knows no bounds; a man, who like McCarthy, has displayed a pattern of bad behavior over many years. Why can’t Congress do as they did in 1954 and declare that McConnell “acted contrary to senatorial ethics and tended to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute”?
Are there no Ralph Flanders among the current crop of republicans willing to stand up?
4
Ms Pelosi is a tough, intelligent, skilled adversary. She and Mr Schumer have made a shrewd, novel political bet. On one hand it's a bit of a high wire act but on the other carefully and artfully calibrated. No wonder the Donald is rattled. His ego demands a resounding victory over all comers, but he is caught in the humiliating spotlight of impeachment. In the end McConnell has to contend with Trump's willingness to gamble using whatever means possible and the struggle to contain that giant ego for the sake of caution. Meanwhile Ms Pelosi has done her job setting a most unsettling trap she can choose to spring at her discretion at any time. Very cannily she and Mr Schumer have put The Donald , his overblown ego, and Mr McConnell's machinations squarely in the crosshairs. What are the odds the pressure will drive Trump to an irrational step that will rattle election oriented senators to back away from support?...not bad.
2
Mr Putin appreciates the democrats, especially the impeachment and further posturing nonsense. The democrats amuse him and he smiles. However, lucky for the rest of us, it does not seem to have much of an impact on the larger picture - the stock market is a good readout on economic and political systems - it was up yesterday and far up today. Go Nancy, Chuck , and the congressional democrats, and make Putin smile. If you look at the Ukrainian news media (for example Ukrinform), they are completely ignoring all of this charade. Also perhaps the 2020 election was decided this week in the favor of Trump.
3
I can't understand what Pelosi is scared of? If the case for impeachment is as bad as the Dems say then by all means send the articles and let McConnel deal with it. If the Senate doesn't do their job then the Dems can use that as further proof of republican's bad faith.
2
Pelosi has been begging for donations for years and I finally donated after this show of force.
1
One may see to the core of reality,
While another sees merely the surface.
Yet core and surface are essentially the same,
Words making them seem different.
If word be needed to name them,
Wonder names them both and
From wonder unto wonder,
Existence opens.
Now that you've been enlightened, let's move on and trash
'liddle' Donny. If Donny is so innocent, why did he block the subpoenas for documents and testimony from his aides, staff and officials, who, according to his claims of innocence, would vindicate him? If it looks like a rat, acts like a rat and smells like a rat, it's a rat.
2
@HoodooVoodooBlood
You start with Tthe first lines of the Tao Te Ching. I dunno which translation though- never seen that version. Here is a bit from the the DC Lau version that I have been reading since 1969 and applies strongly to Trump*
Thanks or cheering me up (though. The following is a necessary quote for Trump to learn from:
Chapter 24;
"He who considers himself right is not illustrious;
He who brags will have no merit;
He who boasts will not endure.
From the point of view of the way these are ‘excessive food and useless excresences’.
As there are Things that detest them, he who has the way does not abide in them."
2
McConnell does not care. But #45 does. He will go apoplectic if he cannot get his time in front of the cameras.
Patience grasshopper.
2
When Pelosi was sworn in with children by her side I felt annoyed about her furthering stereotypes about how powerful women need to soften their image.
Sorry for judging you Nancy.
@Sarah
I read it as her embracing her role as a woman while claiming power.
By voting "present" on impeachment, Tulsi Gabbard distinguished herself as the only Democrat worth my vote in November. It was a complete sham, and Democrats know it, and that is why they have not actually brought the articles to the Senate, where President Trump will be totally vindicated and the Democrats proved to be corrupt hypocrites. They will be punished by the American people as they richly deserve. Historians will wonder why Democrats led with their chin.
4
When Mitch McConnell says "Fine by me" you know it is anything but. Score one for Nancy Pelosi.
3
Pelosi should make clear that, if she is not proceeding with the impeachment procedure, it is because the republican in the Senate refuse to hear any witnesses. And not because the impeachment is not fully justified;
This is like a Chicago Tribunal, refusing to hear any witnesses against Al Capone, because he has bribed the judges...
It is interesting to invoke Hannah Arendt to remind us that the concepts of individual violence and individual power are obsolete.
The concept of domination is also questionable.
The condition of plurality is prevalent: " conditio per quam" for
the phenomonology of politics to share power in the concertation of the action.
it is clear that in the case of Trump, it is a system in question with political actors who seem to act by themselves ( or try to make believe that do a job ) but in fact constitute an organized system of abuse .
3
I think withholding the articles will backfire on the Democrats. They'll be relying on the media to keep it in the spotlight at the same time they're messaging about the primaries. McConnell will just turn his attention to other things.
8
Pelosi's leadership has been wonderful through this process.
15
Ms. Pelosi if you do this you and the Democratic Party can ask me to contribute all the money I can contribute and I will do it.
Dear Ms. Pelosi: Hold the articles of impeachment until the November election and asks voters to vote according to their beliefs on whether Trump has acted wrongly and violated the Constitution, or not.
6
There are no good reasons for Pelosi to present the articles of impeachment prior to the 2020 elections. If McConnell doesn't provide evidence that the senate will hold a fair trial, where Schumer's witness testify, hold the articles in the house until after the election when McConnell and his fake senators are booted out of office.
14
@Jackson
He is already impeached. He has not been convicted which requires a Senate trial.
“And the Senate must actually hold a trial,” wrote Harvard University law professor Noah Feldman, meaning if I may propose my interpretation of the professor's words, that the trial must be a real trial, not a clearly partisan sham that Mitch McConnell railroads over the reluctant moderates of his caucus. If instead it is to be a trial by Mitch McConnell's kangaroo court, then I completely agree with the strategy of withholding the articles of impeachment and loudly declaring they are being withheld on that basis.
19
The Democrats fumbled on the goal line in the 2016 Election.
Now they seem to be ready to fumble in their own End-Zone
and give Trump a 'Safety' in 2019.
Speaker Pelosi said she wants things to be fair in the Senate Trial. She is forgetting that the right to a speedy trial, albeit for
Criminal Trials, is enshrined in the Constitution and the American sense of Justice.
Just as it was not fair for Southern Prosecutors to delay holding a trial until it was Harvest Season so that few "Colored Folks" could take time off to be on a Jury, it is unfair of Pelosi to
treat this Impeachment differently than those that came before.
I have no doubt the Senate Trial will be tried by only impartial
Senators, but then the Impeachment allowed Representatives who had said before the investigation that they wanted Trump impeached.
Pelosi needs to take care that some Federal Judge does not rule this delaying tactic to be un-Constitutional in the most basic sense of Fairness and rule that either the Senate may proceed or the Impeachment overturned.
Meanwhile what has happened to the Narrative that the urgency of the need to save the Republic and the Constitution justified the rush to Impeach before Christmas ?
13
I guess the impeachment and the supposed national danger were not that urgent after all.
25
@BD I'd prioritize them as somewhat less urgent than treating sick children detained at border before they die of treatable disease. This corrupt cluster of cells occupying the Oval Office must be removed.
3
Trump et al have not responded to subpoenas, not a single one. They have not delivered a single document, not one - not even Nixon stonewalled like this. This is truly unprecedented. Aren’t you the least bit curious what “I don’t want to be a part of a drug deal” Bolton and “Get used to it” Mulvaney would say under oath? I for one would certainly like to hear from them.
2
@Brian Whistler
Then tell Pelosi to go enforce House subpoenas in court.
Court's already ruled that Don MacGhan doesn't have to testify.
Hold on to those articles forever, Pelosi! Fixodent them to the wall in your office. They are absolutely meaningless when it comes to November 3, 2020.
If McConnell or Trump gives an inch, I'll be terribly disappointed.
10
The Senate, lead by Mitch McConnell, is a sham organization at this juncture. McConnell has already said they are not going to conduct a trail and look at the facts. So why send the articles to them? It's best to send them during the months leading up to the election so USA citizens can understand the full spectrum of the corruption of Trump and the Republican party. Hard-line Trump supporter won't care but the rest of them will. And they should care. We have never had as corrupt of a person in the office since Nixon, and Nixon was playing baby games in comparison to Trump and his men. Trump's corruption goes back to the beginning when his father hid real estate profits from his developments in Brooklyn and Queens. And they continued all the way up to this year with his stealing from charities, not-for-profits, and educational institutions. His whole family, including his children are corrupt too. The nerve of Trump to throw accusations against Biden and his son when his own kids have no qualifications for their positions. Then there is his hack job on America's foreign policy, and his criminal behavior with regard to Russia's interference in the elections and the Ukraine. The man is a crackpot and a thief and he should be removed, but the people will have to do the job the Senate has indicated they will not do. We have to rid the country of these do nothing politicians most of whom are mere opportunists when it comes to doing the work we have entrusted them to do.
8
The longer it takes to get a fair trial in the Senate the more the impeachment hangs over trumps head. Can you imagine anyone voting for a candidate that has been impeached with a Senate refusing to have a fair trial.
7
From what was said during the debate, there are reportedly 63 million who would.
I find this doubtful at this point and see Trumps only saving grace for re-election as continued gerrymandering and manipulation of the electoral college in key states.
This seems disgusting on the face, but it signals that this is a typical election and winnable by a strong candidate.
We have brilliant citizens who are able to relate real issues that Trump has failed to fulfill while also reminding Americans that Donald is the 3rd president to be impeached as a corrupt politician.
At the wonderful age of 64 I am LOVING this opportunity to watch a powerful woman play the game with the boys. They just don't know what to do! "She is being UNFAIR! " they yell. Sit back boys. You might learn a thing or two.
3185
@Judy Jeske ,
Hope you are right,but the deck is stacked against her and the majority of American voters who are also male.
20
Just as President Trump refused to cooperate with the impeachment investigation by withholding witnesses, Nancy Pelosi is now refusing to cooperate with the impeachment process by withholding the articles. Politically, there is absolutely no difference between the two
85
@Judy Jeske It is indeed a thing of beauty to behold. Next let's put in a woman President who will run the country with integrity and morals.
265
I nominate Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Party for the Profiles in Courage Award and for Service to the United States of America
I nominate Mitch McConnell Donald Trump and the entire Republican Party for profiles in Cowardice Award for service above and beyond the call to Mother Russia and Vladimir Putin
Congrats winners!
8
Again the democrats shoot themselves in the foot!!!
A rush to impeach and then no trial. We look extremely dumb to the nations and the American voters.
Send the DRAFT ASAP
Win or Loss its ok but hold it we LOSE LOSE
Otherwise, we need a new speaker of the house!!
10
I am going to have to go with obtain all witness testimony and obtain all subpoenaed documents before handing the articles of impeachment to the Soviet russian White supremacist Confederacy officers.
6
McConnell should notify Pelosi and Schumer that he’s not going to discuss rules for trial until the Articles are formally delivered to the Senate. Period.
12
@Kevin Or, she can wait until the courts finally give the go-signal for Mulvaney, Bolton, etc to testify, henceforth implementing GOP's stalling tactic during the impeachment hearings.
8
@Kevin I take it you're not a big believer in bipartisanship, thoughtful discussion, etc.?
2
@Kathy McAdam Hahn
Bipartisanship and thoughtful discussion weren't part of the House's process why should they be part of the Senate's?
As awful as I find Trump's behavior, the Democrats' increasing inability to accept the results of elections when they loose makes me far more concerned for the future of our Republic.
1
The president has been impeached, and chief juror of the senate trial, McConnell has already made up his mind so why turn it over to the Senate? Keep the GOP hanging in the event new evidence comes out. Simple gamesmanship. The GOP would do no different.
7
Holding back the Articles of Impeachment from the Senate to gauge the political climate for a better time period that will impact the 2020 Election is a gamble Pelosi is willing to bet with the House’s political currency, their public trust.
2
The American people, both those who favor removal and those that don't expect a fair trial, one conducted as if in a courtroom. Each side should call witnesses; each side should be able to introduce evidence; each side should be able to cross-examine the witnesses. Let the truth come out!
6
Dear Democrats, don't believe Trump/Republican propaganda, they are deeply upset by the delay. Keep delaying as Trump will be screaming at Mitch pretty soon as he wants it finished. By the way, no USMCA or anything else until they deal a it this, so stock to your guns Nancy!
4
Glad to hear Pelosi and McConnell can agree on something.
2
Yes, as one commenter noted, "this is political partisanship of the highest order."
Precisely.
This is a political war that began in earnest with McConnell's refusal to give Garland a hearing.
And I for one see no reason to unilaterally declare a cease fire until every vestige of today's Republican Party is pummeled into submission.
Let them rage against the dying of the light. After all, they will be dwelling in a lot more darkness before the morning comes.
13
More partisan display of what this impeachment process was. The House cannot tell the Senate what they can and cannot do.
I wouldn't be surprised if this never reaches the Senate - and an election is held with an unresolved impeachment hanging over Trump. Can you imagine the media he will get by complaining about due process - and rightly so? If Pelosi believes she has proven her case - she has to send it to the Senate. If they acquit - then she has the next election to get on with. But to leave this out there - wow - just won't cut it. Even her own party will turn against her.
10
@randy. A trial without witnesses or evidence? Yeah, that’ll be “fair.” Sorry hon, spin and lies and obstruction ain’t gonna work anymore. Like it or not, Pelosi has the power to demand a fair process.
2
My advice to Speaker Pelosi: don't fall for the Jeff Flake / Brett Kavanaugh compromise -- one where McConnell agrees to call witnesses but does not permit full questioning. The Republicans would love to pull that trick.
11
Pelosi should wait until after the holidays, when Senators go home from the holidays. I think they will be surprised to hear, "Remove Trump from office". Many Christian establishments have come out against Trump, who, at this time of year, represents Scrooge more than he does a president for the people--the same with the Republican Senators. They want to decrease food stamps--oh, what a great idea when there are more poor and low income than ever. There may be full employment, but wages do not keep up with cost of living. This is why stores are practically giving merchandise away, much of it costing less than it did 30 years ago.
3
"...Ms. Pelosi risks appearing to politicize the matter if she withholds the charges for negotiating leverage."
Mitch McConnell has loudly and clearly declared that the Senate event is not a trial, but a political event. So that's done.
Given that, I think it is brilliant strategy to forcibly delay the start of the Senate event, for two strong reasons: One, it allows time for the news of the reasons for the delay to penetrate the public consciousness, exposing the Republican scheme to refuse the testimony of witnesses, their unabashed dismissal of the judicial process, and their willingness to lie when they swear to be impartial; and two, it simply gives Trump more time to self-destruct, as he did today in his tirade against evangelicals.
In this political gamesmanship Republicans hold a weak hand. McConnell is smug and self-assured, but Trump is panicky and afraid.
5
The Speaker risks politicizing the matter? after the Senate Majority leader declared that does not intend to be an impartial juror, and Senator Lindsey Graham said that he will not pretend to be a fair juror. Just who is politicizing the process?
7
Although I have enormous respect for Sheryl Gay Stolberg, to say that Pelosi risks politicizing the impeachment proceedings is absurd. The entire proceedings, by their nature, are political.
4
Was the impeachment a bluff? Then why? What did it accomplish other than to further divide Americans? Haven't the Democrats done enough damage? I support the President. I support Trump. Thank you.
15
You keep repeating your previous comments, as if it were a kind of syndrome. As far as dividing Americans goes, I’d be glad to be divided as far from possible from those who blindly support Trump.
4
Brava Ms. Pelosi. And wonderful to see the senate Democrats are United. We got the impeachment. Now, we need to play hardball to get the 45th removed. Even better, get all senators who violate their oath of office out as well. Where are we? The country of no honor, law, and justice?
We are better than this!
5
McConnell must take an oath as a senator juror to be impartial. Apparently he intends to commit perjury when he takes that oath since he has already declared he will not be impartial. In any normal trial the judge would remove any juror with such obvious bias.
4
Lol. The Democrats' case is so weak that now they are not even sure if they will pass it on to the Senate? Too funny. I'm not sure which is worse for them, to hold it for a slow death as a millstone around the neck of their moderate members, or to pass it on for the inevitable quick acquittal by every Republican and a few Democrats in the Senate. And the more time goes by, the more President Trump's approval goes up.
House Democrats have really put themselves between a rock and a hard place. Unless something changes, I expect 2020 elections will go very badly for their party.
12
Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans do not want to receive the Articles of Impeachment.
They do not want to be Impartial Jurors.
They do not want to face the Truth.
4
Now is the time to raise Mr. McConnell's clear conflict of interest. His wife is a member of the impeached president's cabinet. Mr. McConnell is an interested party and cannot be unbiased in any way. He must recuse himself.
9
Taking a page from McConnell's playbook, why not wait until after the election? If Trump is re-elected but we have a Democratic Senate, send them over then.
4
It is hilarious to hear Republicans whine and complain about what is fair. Did they treat Obama fairly? We’re still waiting for proof he wasn’t a citizen and was a Muslim, 10 years on. Republicans promised proof. Like all their promises to the American people, they lied. Did they treat Merrick Garland fairly? When have Republicans played fairly in the last 30 years? Even so, Pelosi is still playing fairly. Despite the endless rows of white male Republicans lying that Trump wasn’t given a chance to defend himself, the truth is he was given a chance but he told all his men not to cooperate and he himself refused to defend himself. Trump and the Republicans could end this all by releasing the actual recording of his conversation instead of their falsified transcript. They never will because they are dishonest to their cores.
8
The House of Representatives shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
The House of Representatives shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
The House of Representatives shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
The House of Representatives shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.
3
@areader
The purpose of impeachment is to bring the president to trial. Not to impeach him, asterisk him, and then not submit the articles to the Senate for a trial. Unless of course there really is no validity to the articles a partisan house impeached the president on.
Perhaps Pelosi should be charged with "abuse of power"
2
brother,
i can only imagine our founding fathers building log cabins with axe and saw and mallet ,
watching the english retreat in their ships.
i truly want to go back to THAT time,
because this. it's ALL an ILLUSION.
NONE of it is real!
2
I agree with those who advocate for Pelosi withholding the Articles from the Senate indefinitely. McConnell has blatantly stated that he will manufacture an outcome favorable to Trump. This is not jurisprudence. It is political grandstanding at its worst. Why give the Republicans a national platform for 'vindicating' Trump's impeachment right before the most important election of the century?
18
She is going to wait until the 2020 election to see if Democrats win a majority in the Senate. Then she'll give them the articles of impeachment, and they will throw him out.
If that's the case, it won't matter if he wins an electoral college victory, when someone else wins the popular vote.
4
Nancy's move is about suburban voters and Independents in swing states who will not warm to the Republicans over an overt admission of conducting an unfair trial. What works with a red base is often seen with a jaundiced eye by everyone else. Good luck with that strategy Mitch in November.
7
His silence is out of contempt, not innocence. It's his form of taking the Fifth Amendment. IF he were to invite witnesses to exculpate him, he'd still sit in the back of the Senate chambers micromanaging answers given by his witnesses...and maybe Chief Justice Roberts would toss him out of the chambers. We can only hope.
4
@Zighi
You spend too much time in the sun. Ask yourself, why didnt dems go to the courts to have their subpoenas enforced? Then at least they could have claimed "obstruction of justice". But they didnt. Why?
@zighi. Don’t think you can tweet from the rafters. No WiFi.
Just watch how far the Democrats go to overturn the 2016 results. Constant talk of impeachment for three years. My way or highway Ms Speaker. Impeachment is part of the Democratic 2020 election campaign. Keep it boiling till Trump numbers come down. Prayers for recession by holding the USMC deal did not work either.
Pelosi knows impeachment will get thrown out in Senate, but wants a ‘trial’. - a free televised assault on Trump all next year to diminish his campaign. You can’t beat him, so slander him in media. None of his voters will move to Dems. They have to find a better candidate and go out to vote.
We have too many fools who think Pelosi is about constitution, oath, and fairness. This is how a totalitarian party operates, win at any cost. Wake up Dems and smell the coffee. A lifelong Democrat myself, I am convinced that this is a sham. We can do better than that for the love of this country.
Beat Trump in 2020, don’t weaken the nation and don’t insult the constitution.
12
@JustWatching @JustWatching Insult the Constitution? What are you talking about? Trump insults the Constitution by withholding people and information (emails, texts) that would exonerate him if he were truly innocent. He insults the Constitution by calling these Impeachment hearings and conviction a hoax and a witch hunt. The Congress is empowered by the Constitution to examine what the President does. He has abused the power of his office for personal gain/help for his reelection.
Pelosi had to do this. We must make Trump conform to the rules of the Constitution--no help from foreign countries in our elections--no money from foreign governments, etc. Read those excerpts to truly understand why this was extremely important.
Get onboard. Even the Evangelicals have had it with his improper antics that mislead and lie to the public.
3
So, its okay for McConnell to play politics with something as important as filling a SCOTUS seat but not okay for Pelosi to allegedly play politics with the impeachment process?
14
The headlines have already come out. President Trump HAS BEEN IMPEACHED!
Feldman's fine detail about sending the Articles to the Senate do not matter. Since there is no timing specified for transmittal of Articles of impeachment to the Senate, they can just be transmitted after Democrats win in 2020. Then the trial can be held and the i's can be dotted and the t's crossed.
How fitting this is, for a president who did not ask Ukrainians for a REAL investigation, but just for announcement of an investigation!
11
What would happen if Jesus met Trump? Would they be friends? Would Jesus want Trump to be a leader?
I think he would be very sad and pray for a lost soul. He would want to help him learn how to tell the truth and how to treat others with love and respect.
Republican Senators who represent people of faith should take into account that TRUTH MATTERS and we want leaders who are morally aligned with Christian beliefs.
Respect and help the poor. (Trump only loves the Rich.)
Tell the truth. (Trump lies every day.)
Love your neighbor. (Trump hates others and wants to build a wall and keep their children in cages.)
Treat women respectfully; they are our mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives. (Trump brags about grabbing them against their will.)
Regarding the Impeachment; please find out the truth, weigh the evidence, hear from important witnesses, and then decide.
You don't want to be short-sighted on this decision. I think McConnell has lost his way also and needs to hear from his Senators who care about their faith.
5
@JLT
Jesus was the original advocate for separation of church and state.
“My kingdom is not of this Earth.”
“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”
What would Jesus do if he met Trump? Who knows? You don’t and I don’t either.
The point is that is doesn’t matter, unless you want to live in a theocracy.
2
Perhaps Speaker Pelosi would like to wait for a confirmation of a guilty verdict from the Senate trial before she submits the articles of impeachment.
8
@Independent Perhaps.
It may be fine w/ McConnell, but the guy in the WH will have seven strokes if there's much of a delay, or if the Articles aren't sent at all. Would be interesting to watch that happen.
6
It may be fine w/ McConnell, but the guy in the WH will have seven strokes if there's much of a delay, or the Articles aren't sent at all. Would be interesting to watch that happen.
for better or worse, this is how the game is currently played. Rarely, if ever, has there been a Senate majority leader as venal and arrogant as Mitch McConnell. Te man is positively diabolical. He refuses to consider legislation the
House sends to him, won't even consider a supreme court justice nominated by the other party and acts like he is the smartest guy in the room always. Mitch McConnell is the greatest single argument for Congressional term limits ever. The President is limited to two terms. Why not Senators?
14
Nancy Pelosi: Cooly in control. Holding up the articles. "Let's pray for him."
Mitch McConnell: Walking and crying in the cold Kentucky rain. "Never knowing what went wrong."
Sometimes your mind just goes to Elvis.
3
Impeachment is the new censure. It began with Clinton and here gains full trivialization.
9
@peterc. Except that constitutional felonies were committed by trump. But that’s, um, splitting hairs. And god knows those split ends are irreparable.
3
According to the Senate rules of impeachment, which is posted on the Senate website, once the articles are delivered to the Senate, the trial must begin no late than 1pm the next day. From the rules:
"III. Upon such articles being presented to the Senate, the Senate shall, at 1 o'clock afternoon of the day (Sunday
excepted) following such presentation, or sooner if ordered
by the Senate, proceed to the consideration of such articles
and shall continue in session from day to day (Sundays
excepted) after the trial shall commence (unless otherwise
ordered by the Senate) until final judgment shall be
rendered."
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/3_1986SenatesImpeachmentRules.pdf
Pelosi is just probably waiting until the New Year to avoid having a trial over the holidays. She's actually doing the Senate a favor.
1
It would be a sham. Let the Intelligence committee meet again and send out the subponeas to the important no show witness. Mc Connell won't call them so lets do it for him.Let the hearing drag on for as long as necessary.KeepTrump twisting and squirming and tweeting thru the election.
3
Oh Mrs Pelosi.... If you have such a solid case and must do your duty as a US citizen then why the wait? All the rush to put a scarlet letter on POTUS and now nothing..What gives?
13
trump is now forever branded with the scarlet letter of impeachment.
Born to privilege, beholden to corruption, greed and abuse of power.
He is his own worst enemy, he will perish as he lived angry, lonely and in disgrace.
4
@Kevin
Born on 3rd Base, then stole 2nd and brags about it daily!
There is something schematically brilliant about this. Face it, the Senate is locked and loaded for acquittal. Then the Trump branding machine goes to work. It’s a loser.
Right now he is impeached and that’s the high water mark.
Leave it right there.
As long as possible, let him stew in it.
5
During jury selection in a trial, any prospective juror who was admittedly biased or prejudiced would be excluded for cause by the judge presiding over the trial.
If and when the impeachment charges are sent to the Senate, the House managers should ask Justice Roberts to bar McConnell and Graham from serving as jurors in the impeachment trial, based on their public admissions of their bias toward Trump.
13
@Allen R
Along with Booker, Harris, Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar
and maybe Bennet?
4
There is the matter of the oath that Senators must take to be impartial during the trial. McConnell and Graham must recuse themselves as they have announced that they are biased in favor of Trump and are working with his attorneys.
11
@Joseph Huben
Dear Joseph,
I get your point, but neither the Democrats nor the Republicans are impartial in this matter. Democratic Senators have been saying he must go and Republican Senators have been saying he has done nothing wrong.
Impartiality in a Senate Trial was never going to be a reality.
2
Sorry, but... It is a matter of morality. And he, the President of the United States, has made the decision to follow this ominous and tortuous bias.
And the defining question is why he went on in the shadow of the law, exactly where it fails to illuminate. At this point it is understood that he decided on the eventual risk, assuming the burden of what now occurs. The facts are set, and they are clear and straightforward.
6
The right to a speedy trial is guaranteed by the constitution. If Pelosi abuses her power and obstructs justice then that is all on her.
5
@Charlie
time to turn off fox and friends.
this is not a criminal trial.
read the constitution.
6
The trial is also supposed to be fair and impartial. You left out that part.
7
@Charlie
Well yes, but few people get a trial that speedy. Many are held in jail for months before their case comes to trial.
1
The concept of " Abuse of power " is ambiguous.
Some people might think like in the common language that it is an excessive use of power . Like a substance abuse ...
That is a misconception .
The crime qualified as " Abuse of power " means that in a relationship determined by a power interaction, in which one side has power over the other side , the interlocutor that has the privilege of power over the other , engages into abusing the under privileged over his OWN entity . In HIS own space .Of course in relativity to that relation also .The power is not what is abused .
Of course, McConnell will just never publish the "rules" for the trial until after the 2020 election. Nancy has, once again, played into the hands of the Trumpists. At some point the Democrats need a better leader than her. She just cannot think deeply enough. Public opinion will, as it did with Clinton, turn against the Democrats who will be seen as purely partisan and impotent.
6
I don’t see the Democrats or Pelosi as impotent at all. And neither does a large part of the public you mention. They impeached a President. They exercised and successfully executed their Constitutional powers. How is that impotent? They do not have Constitutional authority to remove him so their inability to do so is not a sign of impotence.
2
Nancy and Mitch need couples counseling.
Where are all those relationship experts when we really need them?
Maybe they could band together and march on Washington, not to protest, but to offer their badly needed services.
If this couple sought help, stopped their blaming and actually learned to communicate, what great role models they could be.
And then they might assume a role as more effective adults when dealing with that kid who is always getting into all trouble.
There is no constitutional mandate for a specific time line on the trial on an article of impeachment.
The House can wait until next August or September, right in the middle of the election, to hand over the two Articles of Impeachment that have been voted, so that people are focused on the trial.
They could go on doing investigations and find more dirt on Trump.
What prevents the House from voting still more Articles of Impeachment? NOTHING!
I suggest they write one based on 52 USC 30121(a)(2) which makes it a clear violation of the law to even ASK (“solicit”) any thing of value (such as opposition research for political advantage in an election) from a foreign national, such as president Zelensky of Ukraine.
We have Trump's admission in the call readout that he asked, which is itself illegal.
That violation of the law is enough to make impeachment, trial, conviction and removal from office an appropriate response.
6
Pelosi has no business sending the impeachment bills over to the Senate until she is certain they will receive a fair hearing with witnesses.
Anything else would be participating in a sham trial.
8
A trial without witnesses and documentation would be the same as the Dems and Repubs agreeing to a game of football but Mitch doesn't want it played with a football.
2
Pelosi has realized that Trump is incapable of understanding the charges against him, and can not fully cooperate in his defense.
4
I couldn't help but flash to 'Friends' when I read the headline. Rachel states her thoughts and intention and Ross sarcastically responds 'Fine by Me'.
No sitcom we're living through, however.
“Trump is such a threat that we cannot wait any longer. We must act to remove this President. It’s our solemn duty”, and I believed you. But now, “we must wait for an indefinite period of time to proceed. In fact, we may never send the articles on”. I’m so confused. Perhaps you never had it for real at all.
5
I would like to see Trump arrest Pelosi with federal marshals at her home on Xmas eve and charge her with treason for withholding the articles of impeachment, then order a show trial in the supreme court with capital punishment on the line.
That follows the logic to date. I want abuse of power like we've never seen.
5
@larkspur
where do you get your information from?
She is NOT committing treason NOR is she WITHHOLDING the articles of impeachment.
it is within her obligation and lawful duty as speaker to wait to hear from the senate as to what their plans for a fair trial are.
3
Polarization should not be the only factor driving citizen's votes next November. The House should hold back sending Articles of Impeachment until the next election or until such time as the Senate is prepared to meet its obligation under the Constitution and hold a real trial based upon the facts. Like a petulant teenager Mitch McConnell flouts the rules and thinks can ignore fair play. His fellow Republicans at this point believe him to be some kind of strategic genius because he’s willing to break with the probity that has held the Senate and this country together. But Pelosi is right to not play along. Let's make this next election about whether the country really wants to live by its Constitution. Give our citizens a clear opportunity to decide whether they want its Senators to follow the principles upon which this nation was founded or not.
176
@Phil Has the Housemet those same obligations to be fair and unbiased ? Was the impeachment vote bipartisan?
6
@Phil ///McConnell is no strategic genius, he cheats by not following the rules. If a poker player wins by cheating is he a poker genius?
9
@Phil Not sending the articles to the Senate extends the farce. Ms. Pelosi et al rushed the impeachment through because the country had to be rid of Trump. But, now she wants delay sending the articles until the Senate conducts a trial on her terms? What hypocrisy. Was she just lying about the urgency of the impeachment? It sure seems she was. Now Trump can say Pelosi is afraid to send the articles because she knows Trump will not be convicted. Or, if she does send them, he will not be convicted ( unless 20 Republicans vote for impeachment, and that is not going to happen). So, Democrats are damned if the send the articles and dammed if they do not. That is par. Democrats picked the wrong candidate to run against Trump and she then ran a poor campaign and lost the election by not even going to the rust belt. Now Democrats squandered their time in the Trump years by not coming up with their own agenda but instead did all they could( to no avail) to resist and undermine Trump. Instead they hurt themselves and it continues. To make matters worse, instead of running a moderate who would beat Trump, they are going to run on a Bernie Sanders Socialist platform regardless of the Democrat candidate. They will lose and we will be stuck with Trump again. So, Pelosi is not right to not play along. She helped engineer this debacle and now we will be forced to live with it.
4
Pelosi knows that her two counts for impeachment will be blown out of the water in the Senate trial. She will delay and obfuscate the reasons for the delay, but any simpleton knows that she is delaying in the hopes of coming up with some blockbuster new evidence against Trump. This is political partisanship of the highest order, but everyone knows that when it comes to following the rule of law, the Democrats are allowed to make up their own rules.
49
@paul You mean like blocking a Supreme Court nomination? The Republican chickens have come home to roost. Eight years of obstruction have made any partisan behavior by Democrats acceptable.
53
@paul Yes and about time they began to act like the repubs. When in a gang fight bring a good weapon.They are fighting a very no holds barred group .
31
@paul: Please. The gall to claim Democrats make up their own rules after (1) McConnell's Galand/Gorsuch shell game (2) Trump deciding that complying with a congressional subpoena is "optional" and (3) when the defense (such as it was) amounts to nothing more than "it's OK to extort foreign governments into taking out the President's political opponents ... so long as the President is a Republican". And then you go one to equate "blown out of the water" with "ignored because it would be embarrassing for us if we paid attention". The delay and obfuscation part already happened when Republicans refused to defend the indefensible in the House and merely worked to confuse the issue.
Did you really expect anybody .. anybody?! ... who has more than two brain cells to rub together to buy this nonsense?
24
One of the bedrock premises in American jurisprudence is the expectation of a speedy and fair trial. Since Pelosi never wanted fair, it is just one more step to not want speedy either. What a huge joke the Democrat house of reps is. Guess What, Nancy---the election was over years ago and YOU LOST.
13
So why not hold a trial and call witnesses then?
4
@Bill Clayton It's not about the election if it were a speekier version of impeachment would have occurred. This is about the forward viability of a constitutional democracy. Trump has committed treasonous acts both internationally and here at home and we must hold him accountable. Dems are interested in hearing from sources of evidence that the administration has withheld. This is the nature of the delay and Trump should provide such accountability if he still portends the process is a shame and claims no guilt. His continued obstruction begs of our need to continue all investigations both of personal business and what he claims is being done for the people (or to the people) of the United States.
2
@nc and conversely, Republicans were interested in hearing from witnesses during the House circus that Democrats were not willing to allow to testify. None of that speaks to A SPEEDY TRIAL instead of this political nonsense of trying to draw......it......out.....because the democrats KNOW Trump is going to be acquitted in the Senate and RE-ELECTED next November
2
Oh that Nancy Pelosi, if I could be half as clever as her! She is just the match for a rogue president and senate. Bravo!
5
Let the articles be the proverbial sword of Damocles, let them hang over this president's head. Nancy has done her homework and is "as tough as a bar of iron". A trial in the Senate at this point would be a hoax as the majority of the Republican Party have already prejudged the outcome. Leave this president impeached and un-acquitted for as long as necessary. Let the sword hang until the hair snaps.
5
Pelosi is like the spoiled little school yard brat that demands everyone else play by HER rules because a rigged game is the only way she has a chance to win. Rather than be embarrassed and risk being laughed at by those who do play by established rules she's decided to take her ball and go home. Too bad for her they're still laughing.
12
In just one more year, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is up for reelection and new polling by Public Policy Polling (PPP) is not looking good for the Kentuckian.
Per the poll, only 33 percent of registered Kentucky voters approve of his job performance. 56 percent disapprove and 11 percent of those polled are unsure. In addition, 32 percent of the people polled think that McConnell “deserves to be reelected” while a staggering 61 percent feel that it’s “time for someone new.”
By Sam Calloway -
February 27, 2019
Bipartisan Report website
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is America’s most unpopular senator with voters in his state, with Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R) coming in as a close runner-up, a new Morning Consult poll has found.
The results show McConnell leading the list of the country’s 10 most unpopular senators with a 50 percent job disapproval rating.
Collins trails close behind the Kentucky Republican with a 48 percent disapproval rating.
By Aris Folley - 07/18/19 04:59 PM
The Hill website
5
The Democrats want more witness testimony because they know wittiness testimony presented in the House Intelligence Committee report disprove allegations made in the articles of impeachment.
Article 1 alleges the president—acting through his agents—committed “Abuse of Power” by “corruptly solicited the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations into—
(A) a political opponent, (former Vice President Joe R.Biden, Jr.; and
(B) a discredited theory promoted by Russia alleging that Ukraine—rather than Russia—interfered in the 2015 United States Presidential election.”
But the House Intelligence Committee Report (page 121) shows State Department diplomats acting on behalf of the president asked President Zelensky to publicly announce: “We intend to initiate and complete a transparent and unbiased investigation of all available facts and episodes, including those involving Burisma and the 2016 U.S. elections, which in turn will prevent the recurrence of this problem in the future.”
The solicited announcement made no mention of Joe Biden and did not say Ukraine rather than Russian interfered in the U.S. 2016 election.
By refusing to send the articles to the Senate, they delay or deny exoneration.
3
The Dems are doing themselves no favors. Like 2004 and 2016, they are taking what should be a found opportunity for securing the White House for years to come, and instead turning it into another circular firing squad. In doing so, they are violating two rules of politics: don't believe your own press, and as inside the Beltway goes is not as the rest of the country goes. The magnitude of such stupidity is impressive.
10
By all means let's have witnesses. Hunter Biden can tell us all why he was qualified for the job and if he ever spoke with his dad about Ukraine. Joe Biden can tell us why he didn't recuse himself from any Ukraine related matters once Hunter took the job.
16
Trying to figure out what this has to do with trump and all of his illegal activity but sure, go on with yourself.
5
@James
And we can have Ivanka, Jared, Donnie Jr and Eric explain how they NEVER, EVER use their connection to Donald Trump for financial advantage overseas.
Let's have them ALL testify.
8
Hunter Biden did nothing illegal, nor did his father. It’s called nepotism. Do you honestly think Javanka would ever have gotten jobs in a presidential administration without being related to the cheater in chief?
Nothing illegal about it and if Repubs want to investigate it AGAIN, have at it. It’s a separate issue.
5
I get the feeling that the Democratic Party so obsesed with beating Trump that they are missing a golden opportunity.
Unless they can come up with a message that has something other than another give away program, or class warfare to "level" economics, they are certain to lose in November..
Get real - vitriol focused on one man should not define a political party..
8
@Dr. Sam
Yeah, right.
I remember when the Republicans decided on January 20, 2019, the day President Obama was inaugurated, that they would oppose EVERYTHING he proposed.
I remember when Mitch McConnell announced that his highest goal was to make president Obama a one term POTUS.
I remember when Mitch McConnell decided not to even hold hearings on Merrick Garland, the man President Obama nominated to fill the seat vacated when Scalia died. McConnell told President Obama that Obama would not get to fill that seat.
https://www.gq.com/story/mitch-mcconnell-supreme-court
Quote:
He had the opportunity to steal a Supreme Court seat from President Obama, and he took it. "One of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye, and I said, 'Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy,'" he said in a speech later that year.
End Quote
Sure, let's definitely get rid of officials who focus their vitriol on one man. You must be referring to the Republicans, right?
7
@Dr. Sam It defined the republican party from 2008 to 2016...
We know things are bad, very bad, when you have to negotiate for a fair trial. If McConnell’s antics were adopted by a Latin America, or Eastern European despot, the US would have demanded UN intervention
1
MSM to quick to anoint the genius of Pelosi, whilst in the 1st inning of a 9 inning game. Really ludicrous to believe McConnell would be or will be bullied by her or anyone else. Never agreed with the "quick" strategy, should have gone to court to force the issue and have Trump defy court orders, then you have GOP playing defense, and not just Collins or Gardner, but Portman, Alexander, Toomey, et al........But with a rock solid economy Trump will declare victory & although I did not & will not vote for him, I can see him easily winning re-election. It's the economy stupid for most Americans.
8
MSM to quick to anoint the genius of Pelosi, whilst in the 1st inning of a 9 inning game. Really ludicrous to believe McConnell would be or will be bullied by her or anyone else. Never agreed with the "quick" strategy, should have gone to court to force the issue and have Trump defy court orders, then you have GOP playing defense, and not just Collins or Gardner, but Portman, Alexander, Toomey, et al........But with a rock solid economy Trump will declare victory & although I did not & will not vote for him, I can see him easily winning re-election. It's the economy stupid for most Americans.
1
To the people of Kentucky,
McConnell is the most unpopular Senator in the country and his popularity in your state is abysmal. He has perverted our democracy and government and constitution from the moment he became speaker. Please, vote him out in November.
6
Great news. The President is not considered impeached until the articles of impeachment are sent to the Senate.
7
The trial is rigged. Rigged by McConnell and the republican Senators and Trump's attorneys. The system is failing badly because of McConnell. It's a shame.
2
So they will impeach and convict Trump in his second term.
1
Wait a minute,,,,,,,
1. Hunter Biden is a board director of a large Ukrainian gas company, hired for his political links to Joe Biden, not his technical, or financial abilities
2. Nancy Pelosi is holding on to and delaying the articles of impeachment being moved from the house to the senate
So 1. who should be penalized for "abuse of power" and foreign interference?
and 2. who is "obstructing justice" here ?
11
Delay it forever just like the republicans did to Merrick Garland. Never give the republicans the floor for this impeachment.
3
Our Congress is totally populated, it appears, by spoilt brats who never had to work for a living in the trenches! This childish GOTCHA oneupsmanship is totally out of hand now..
A private third party should be allowed to handle future impeachment hearings, and there will be more of them from now on, in a court of law.
1
How interesting if she impeached him and stopped there. Bigger than a censure for sure.
Tie the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment to the Supreme Court ruling on the 3 matters pending on the release of the Trump financial and tax records. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case to delay the release of these records. Eventually they'll rule in Trump's favor on two of the three but even they can't set a precedent that allows Presidents to stonewall investigations, so they'll save face with two of them but the third they'll rule against Trump. The best they can hope for is to delay the ruling. Delaying the Articles of Impeachment going to the Senate is driving the Republicans crazy. Hold firm and use it to force a fair Senate Trial and to force the Supreme Court to expedite their ruling on the subpoenas.
3
The first order of business for Leader McConnell when the Senate reconvenes on January 2, 2020, is to read the Congressional Record of the House impeachment vote into the record on the floor of the Senate and then proceed either to a trial or a motion for dismissal.
If he proceeds to a trial and the House does not send any managers, he could then quickly move to dismiss on the grounds the House has failed to present its case. End of story.
5
The Speedy Trial Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that everyone including the president the right to enjoy a speedy trial. The Clause protects Trump from delay between the adoption of the articles of impeachment and the beginning of his trial.
Surely, Pelosi has no intentions of ignoring the Constitution and deprive Trump of his civil rights. The shame would be too much for her to bear.
6
Nancy Pelosi's strategy is the work of a political master. It is a gambit, not a gamble. It may not work, but I think it's the best shot available.
The gambit relies on her recognition of Donald Trump's Achille's Heel -- his utterly pathological reaction to even the slightest hint of criticism. Mr. McConnell is doing the will of Mr. Trump, and Mr. Trump reacts to criticism of Mr. McConnell as hysterically as attacks on himself.
The result is that Mr. Trump's behavior will become more and more unhinged as each week goes by. That makes the task of his Senate defenders harder and harder. Eventually they will either cave, will be turned out of office by increasingly appalled voters, or both.
Mr. Trump has already impeached himself. Nancy Pelosi is now causing him to remove himself.
4
Mitch said he was going to have a fake trial so why send it over. Better no trial than a fake one.
Also some of the law suits may be over soon and the House can then call more witnesses.
2
What a disaster for Democrats. Pelosi has no idea what she’s doing. Urgent impeachment because of urgent national security risks (or so we were told) has just evaporated. McConnell, the master, is playing Democrats like a fiddle and entirely enjoying it. Trump’s poll umbers are up, support for impeachment is dropping among independents and in key swing states.
This is about as successful as the Russia collusion delusion.
8
Pardon my cynicism, but I am not convinced that McConnell really wants the Senate to receive the articles of impeachment.
2
Sometimes you just have to let the train wreck happen in order to get the tracks repaired. Sometimes it just doesn't work to stand there screaming at the top of your lungs that something must be done. I fear this is where we are.
It's beyond comprehension that anyone thought the man who blatantly refused to honor the nomination of a Supreme Court justice by his avowed political enemy would suddenly find religion and a sense of ethics and agree to hold a fair impeachment trial. McConnell demonstrates that he and Trump are of a single mind when it comes to governing --- I can do whatever I want to serve my personal interests, and there's nothing you can do about it.
All that seems to matter is that Trump be defended at all costs. At. All. Costs. Even the destruction of our democracy. Perhaps the only way to save the country is to let it destroy itself.
1
The second article of impeachment came to pass because Trump would not cooperate. No. He stonewalled and he is still stonewalling. Why is he doing that? Because he is hiding things. He knows that he abused his power. He is still abusing his power.
What is he hiding? Any one with an ounce of intelligence knows that if they are wrongly accused, they will defend themselves using the rules of law. So, again, what is he hiding?
And why are Republicans helping him hide it? I submit that all of his defenders are afraid of the truth because, they already know the truth. They read the transcripts.
1
This is pretty much what McConnell did with Obama's Supreme Court nominee.
What goes around comes around.
Republicans live to whine so now they will simply whine some more.
1
@John H
Whining? They're LAUGHING.
2
@tim k
Like Snively Whiplash?
Speaker Pelosi is simply carrying out her duty to defend the US Constitution, which didn't end with the House's impeachment of Trump.
If Obama had tried to manipulate foreign aid to foster an investigation into Romney, conservatives would gave howled loudly and gone ballistic. The ever pious yet sanctimonious Senator Graham extolling his piety of utter nonsense offers that for Trump's impeachment he will be partial and biased---the very opposite of what the US Constitution requires of him as a juror.
Pelosi is rightfully illuminating Mitch McConnell's promised malfeasance. Ideally Trump's stonewall will crumble with the impending court decision by the US Supreme Court and his financial information will be released. The longer Pelosi holds out the brighter the light becomes on the Senate Republicans' utter abrogation of their sworn duty to defend our Constitution.
Meanwhile the, investigations into the alleged campaign finance violators, Ukrainian born Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas will continue and presumably more bombshells will arise in this bomb infested wasteland called the Trump presidency.
Stay the course, Speaker Pelosi, stay the course indeed.
1
Nancy and Mitch need couples counseling.
Where are all those relationship experts when we really need them?
Maybe they could band together and march on Washington, not to protest, but to offer their badly needed services.
If this couple sought help, stopped their blaming and actually learned to communicate, what great role models they could be.
And then they might assume a role as more effective adults when dealing with that kid who is always getting into all trouble.
Trump was impeached on 2 articles by the House. Period. He had the opportunity to face his accusers, the representatives of the people in the House, and he declined to do so. He had the opportunity to provide exonerating evidence and failed to do so. Trump will forever be impeached for only some of his high crimes and misdemeanors.
I am sure McConnell is so amused. It has been quite the performance. He even said he was flattered. More like he is trying desperately to save face from being out foxed by Pelosi.
2
@Larimer lady
Impeachment is a political statement. Without a trial in the Senate, fair or not, which is a matter of discussion about what is fair, Ms. Pelosi is just getting Mr. Trump elected for a second term. Maybe that is her true endgame.
Something fair was not offered in the Shiff and Nadler made for inside the beltway show. Glad I get the opportunity to vote one of them out of office this November.
Reading through these comments, one thing’s for sure. The country’s education system sorely needs a newfound commitment to a civics curriculum. The level of ignorance on the basics of American government and the Constitution on display here should be an embarrassment.
3
Abuse is a French word that came into English only in the 17th century . In English it has taken a wrong and ambiguous meaning that is not respectuous ( respectful is different ) of the original French or latin etymology.
It has in English almost the opposite contrary meaning .
In latin and French it means waste or loss .
In English it means excess .
Because of the opposite transitivity of the action.
If you refer to sexual abuse for example it means that the victim has been deprived of her sexual entity . That is the crime .
Not that the aggressor engaged in an excessive sexual behavior !
How can this be a qualifiable crime ?
There is a big confusion here .
Patience is a virtue, let the GOP stew a bit more. We have been waiting for three years to get this result. Timing is everything, Pelosi knows Americans are fickle when it comes to millionaires yelling across the aisle. The more the Pretend King rants and raves and the yellow GOP support him, we can see and hear their Insanity.
2
Worst strategy ever. There's no leverage. Every accused person says "I want my day in court!" when they really just want it to go away. Letting the impeachment sit in limbo while the country and media move on is exactly what Trump wants.
1
Might as well delay the senate trial because republicans are totally corrupt. I doubt removing Trump properly is even possible. Maybe a very serious overthrow Trump march on Washington when both house meet in the new year would work but I doubt anything short of him losing an election or bullets will unseat him. Republican efforts to keep many US citizens from voting will probably bring Trump back for another term. Our democracy is dying. The constitution is increasingly a dead letter. The republicans, aka big money, want a dictator to protect their wealth. The American empire has reached it's zenith. Bye, bye American Pie. .
1
The practical reality is that the President will be removed from office -- or not -- by the voters in November. So the relevant question is whether independent and blue-collar voters will feel it is right for Speaker Pelosi to prevent the Senate from moving forward. Unfortunately, they will instead see her move as one more manipulation. As the polls show, impeachment was a tactical mistake the Democrats are currently compounding. Please focus on issues that concern hard-working Americans -- not the obsessed extremes on either side. Merry Christmas to all . . .
3
I think it is a risk, or rather a wager to wait. But my sense is that more information, really damaging information, will out over the next few months.
8
@brian I think the risk is well worth the potential payoff. McConnells "trial" would be a farce and just an opportunity for Trump to claim "total exoneration" for the next 10 months . Now he will sweat and hope no more incendiary evidence comes out about him or the courts rule against him.
2
@brian My sense as well, but as a result of Mr. Durham's findings.
@brian
Damaging information is inevitable although I don't expect the Durham report to be released for at least 6 months
McConnell says it is fine with him if the impeachment articles are never transmitted to the Senate. It probably is the outcome he seeks.
It would certainly be better for Senate Republicans up for reelection in 2020 to avoid the bad publicity of holding a kangaroo trial and acquitting Trump of impeachment.
If the articles never go to the Senate, Trump will live with the dishonor of being the only President in US history to have been impeached and not acquitted--but that is not the Senate's problem--McConnell will have protected Senate Republicans.
@ANNE IN MAINE
Not so sure about protecting vulnerable Senators without a trial. . Cory Gardner in Colorado is already highly unpopular without the charade Senate impeachment exoneration trial. Gardner has been a Trump follower and apologist in a state that did not vote for Trump and has become increasingly blue since 2016. He has voted against our state's interests and, quite frankly, morality and honesty. ?I think he is a goner no matter and we have good, moderate alternatives to vote for.
Democrats seem to be extraprocessing the sequence of the whole impeachment process. While Republicans in the Senate are overthinking the trial outcomes. The truth is Nancy Pelosi has done her job and discharged her duty according to the Constitution. Mitch McConnell on the other hand has no interest in doing his in accordance to the Constitution. So he's the one who should be worried not the other way around. Mitch McConnell has a problem though and that's the president. The longer the standoff continues the more the likelihood that the president will go gung-ho at some point on the prospect of a show trial by allowing witnesses to be called. At which point Mitch McConnell would be limited in his options to avert the inevitable.
As per delaying the transmittal of the impeachment articles, there isn't much of a downside if the Speaker decides to go that route. Based on the argument that an impartial jury isn't in place yet so no need to rush this till that part is straightened out.
District Attorneys do this all the time, they can decide to sit on an indictment as long as they want till an impartial jury is ready to proceed. If impeachment is technically an indictment, then the Speaker like the DA can choose to see how the trial will shape out before bringing the indictment before the judge for trial.
Having seen Nancy Pelosi's mastery of the whole process at work these past years, I will rightly defer to her judgment on this.
9
A democracy cannot function when two of its primary leaders - in this case, the President and Senate Majority leader - openly ignore the rules and procedures of said democracy. If McConnell is willing to say openly his chamber will act as a rubber stamp for Trump rather than hold a fair trial, what is the point of separation of powers? There are no checks and balances.
The GOP has become an authoritarian party, with not even a pretense of allegiance to our Constitution. That became crystal clear when McConnell refused to act on Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. The fact that nearly half of Americans seem fully on board with surrendering our political freedoms is disturbing and frightening.
9
Has anybody thought about petitioning the Chief Justice regarding impeachment trial rules? This is, after all, a constitutional matter in which he presides. There is at least as much substantive basis for such an appeal as for the Supreme Court's involvement in the 2000 election.
5
The longer Nancy Pelosi waits to decide whether to send the articles of impeachment to the senate the more the American people will see this as a total farce. The longer she waits (if she does decide to send them at all) the closer it becomes to the 2020 election. This will be bad news for Democrats as they will lose support of the American people for prolonging this so close to the presidential election. This will definitely guarantee a re-election win for President Trump and many other Republicans running for election and reelection. This is great news for the Republicans.
7
"...Ms. Pelosi risks appearing to politicize the matter if she withholds the charges for negotiating leverage."
As if it wasn't already politicized to the high heavens by Republicans....
5
I don't know if Nancy Pelosi is doing the right thing withholding the impeachment articles. But I do believe that she and Adam Schiff are the best politicians that the democrats have - so they should follow her/them. All of the democrats should back their leadership and not be second guessing and undermining them.
Remember 2016 -- The Donald is president today because many democrats could see no difference between Ms. Clinton and The Donald. There were even some democrats who said that Ms. Clinton did not display sufficient empathy.
Can you believe it?
Naturally, Mitch is going to play it cool. This is what he does for a living day in and day out; but The Donald is not a cool rational person and there is no telling what he will do. The Donald often seems real close to being totally unhinged. Maybe he will lose it completely and have a complete meltdown on international television.
3
The tug of war between Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell will show who has more nerves, which will take a toll on Trump’s mental wellbeing, because he doesn’t have the nerves of steel to handle a high-pressure situation.
McConnell calls the impeachment process the "most rushed, least thorough and most unfair" in history. Now Pelosi is putting a halt on the proceedings, hoping the delay will both move public opinion in favour of a fair trial with senators acting as impartial jurors, and deny Trump a swift acquittal.
McConnell has no plans to let current and former White House aides with knowledge of the Ukraine affair testify, and will act in “total coordination” with the White House.
Trump has demanded an immediate impeachment trial in the Senate. Having a guilty conscience he hates having the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head and he is desperate to get the whole ordeal behind him as soon as possible. Let the two men clash over the proceedings.
5
Any Senator who has stated their lack of impartiality should be prohibited from both voting on the impeachment articles AND being allowed to participate in the process. I don't want a ballot box stuffed, a referee paid off, or a pre-ordained outcome to an impeachment matter. If the President is not above the law, neither are members of Congress. If someone refuses to be impartial, then go play in a different sandbox.
4
The California view of justice. Presumption of guilt, trials postured for a specific outcome, one party rule and government regulation of free speech. They embrace China as a successful model and all of us should be concerned.
4
The Senate will receive the updated indictment when SCOTUS decides against the president vs taxes and witnesses. In the meantime, go home for Christmas and face the voters. We will be there reminding the Constituents what Republicans have been up to collaborating with Russia and Putin The Russian.
3
This could be the most classic political feint of all time. Does this make any sense at all?.....
McConnell and Graham asked Pelosi to delay passing the articles of impeachment to the Senate. Why? To enable an orderly, honorable resignation of Donald Trump and others in his administration. There are many political and personal advantages to Republican leadership if Trump departs quietly, in a distinguished manner.
You know, one has to ask why stock markets are continuing to rise. A good guess is that investors feel that an age of uncertainty and unpredictability is coming to a close. The markets may have already discounted Trump's resignation.
1
I thought the Senate is supposed to try Trump on the charges. If so, Mitch McConnell might be considered the chairman of the jury. To hear him say that he is "working with the president" is a travesty. In any other trial, that remark would have disqualified him.
What does Justice Roberts have to say about how this is going to be managed? Won't he be the judge?
As for delaying it, maybe Ms. Pelosi is sweating Trump, or as they say in fighting, trying to wrong foot him by throwing his timing off.
Several Republican Senators, most notably Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham, have committed what is known in the law as an Anticipatory repudiation of their oath of office and particularly their special oath to weigh the impeachment evidence impartially during the Senate trial of Trump. In doing so they are acting with the same blatant disrespect for our nation's laws that got Trump impeached. Unfortunately they cannot be impeached but they certainly deserve to be voted out of the office they are abusing.
2
There is no question about this being political from the start. Democrats have been talking impeachment from inauguration day. Even so We can think about Chuck Schumer's comments on impeachment. "So that now we are routinely using criminal accusations and scandal to win the political battles and ideological differences we cannot settle at the ballot box. It has been used with reckless abandon by both parties, Democrats and Republicans. And we are now at a point where we risk, deeply risk wounding the nation we all love." David Brooks of the NYT put it this way.“Congress is supposed to do what is in the best interest of the country. And this process could be very bad for America.” The democrates purpose is clear.They want to get him out of the White House and off the ballot in 2020. They reject the idea of a vote by the people. Bret Stephens, also of the NYT ,wrote, "The best way to end this administration — and the only realistic way — is for him to be convincingly turned out by a vote of the American people next year." But that is exactly what they reject. And that is why we have been put through all of this.
4
Thank you Speaker Pelosi. “For Mr. Trump, it was the first day of his new reality, the first day when he woke up with the scarlet letter of impeachment marked with indelible ink on his page in the history books. No matter what else happens, he now enters posterity as the third president to be impeached.”
2
Its already been said in these comments and in the paper: If Pelosi fails to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate then the actions of the House are nullified. The President can then credibly claim that he was never impeached. Their actions in the House will have served only to enrage and galvanize Trump's base. The enraged Dems are methodically, if irrationally digging a political hole from which they will be unable to exit; they should be careful what they wish for. Stay angry and irrational my friends.
4
Mitch McConnell criticizing someone for sitting on something is beyond ironic.
If the opposition in the Senate can't compel witnesses to appear and testify, the whole thing is a sham. Meanwhile, Trump and his supporters throw every wrench they can find into the process, and claim that the Democrats are not giving him due process.
This is due process, as specified in the Constitution.
2
Unfortunately the blue wave didn’t hit the Senate. In fact, the Republicans gained a seat. The Dems are still trying to put on the winner’s suit when the only one that fits them says “Loser.” I think it’s a case of political dysphoria and quite sad to see.
6
Good strategic move since the GOP leadership wants to make a mockery of the process anyway, however, Democrats should continue to expose the crimes of this administration.
3
Without impeachment submission, Trump has not been impeached.
5
Good for Nancy Pelosi! By refusing to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate until McConnell stops making the process a sham, she is dealing from a position of strength.
Perhaps she should go a step farther and hold out until McConnell stops holding all of the House’s legislation hostage.
Meanwhile, knowing the impeached president will be hanging on tenterhooks over the holidays is somehow gratifying. He should have to endure SOME unpleasantness and discomfort as punishment, since the Senate will most likely let the teflon Don off the hook — something his enablers have done all his life.
2
If you want to truly know what's in Trumps head, just believe the inverse to everything he says. Starting with "make America great again" He says he wants a trial, inverse is true..... If he could legally prove this is a witch hunt, there would factual evidence to support it; so denial, blame game rhetoric and name calling becomes the defense. Pitiful at best!
The hard evidence on Trump needs to be shielded (similar to his tax's), because they're so incriminating. Perfect phone calls accomplish worthy / noble things to be exposed for their value; not hide in a private server away from the public or security professionals protecting our country's interest. Republicans have lost their spine, if they ever had one, allowed their party to be conned by a despot, and rather than right the sinking ship, have chosen to go down with it. I just hope his retaliatory tendencies are limited to tweeter; his out of control worldview and the complicit enablers in every department of government don't care about the public order, and like Trump will blunt their awareness to advance what Trump says will make us great. Follow the money folks!
NY Times, please put out an article summarizing each of the 400 bills shamefully sitting dead on McConnell’s desk.
3
Since the Senate is not going to convict Trump, no matter what evidence is presented, just let them have their sham trial. Many Republicans, or so some of the representatives of red states have said on TV, want a real trial. Democrats have tried to compromise with Republicans and have one. It’s not going to happen. Let their actions speak for themselves. If presentation at a trial is needed for the impeachment procedure to stand, then do so at the trial as eloquently as possible and let that be the historic moment. Trump will do something else, he always does. The Republicans actions alone are pure political theater and will speak volumes.
Mitch McConnell has proudly, defiantly, publicly boasted that there is no possibility of anything resembling a trial, much less a fair trial. He has boasted that there is no possibility of a conviction. He has boasted that there will be an acquittal and that there will be no impartiality. Republican U.S. senators will stick to the party line, they will march in lock step, and they will acquit after a show trial. Given all of this, I fail to see the value of sending charges to the Senate. I fail to see the good in handing more power to McConnell, who has shown repeatedly and sickeningly that he will gleefully abuse the power he wields. In my opinion, the wisest course of action in this situation, where no course of action is really good, is to withhold the charges from the Senate and to continue investigations.
5
I simply cannot see the logic (of the Constitutionality) of withholding the transmission of the articles of impeachment to the Senate. The House has exclusive authority regarding impeachment, while the Senate has exclusive authority regarding the Impeachment trial.
Transmit the articles of impeachment and argue whether the Senate is being fair or not in the Senate and in the court of public opinion.
1
This: "Ms. Pelosi risks appearing" is the whole problem with Trump. Appearances there may be, but truth requires facts and evidence, which are transcendent of appearances. Neither the progressives with their identity crisis, (it is all about me, ISN'T IT?), nor Trump and his base wishing to continue in the fantasy of their private self, can deal with this problem. A moderate who knows that for a very long time we will have to work with others that do not think in all the ways one or us may think. See how progressives plan is just to turn out the base, as is Trump's plan. That is not going to work; and unless and until this changes, nothing else will change.
2
My advise to Nancy: Go girl, let him twist in the wind!
13
Nancy Pelosi & Company are best-described as arguing over how-or-whether to flush the toilet while the building is in flames.
5
@Edgar Numrich They know you don't have to flush it 15 times. Meanwhile the very stable genius is looking strongly at the shower. Don't blame the Dems for that.
1
@Bob Guthrie
Birkenwald?
I think that, sadly, Pelosi and the Dems dropped the ball on this one by moving too fast. They apparently intended to have this whole affair over by the 2020 election, but by doing so they essentially ruined all of the work they started. They could have subpoenaed Mulvaney, Bolton and Giuliani himself - the people at the core of this matter - to testify. Those witnesses would almost certainly have refused the subpoenas, and their cases would have gone to the Supreme Court to decide. It may have taken weeks or months to resolve the issue, but in the end, I am confident that even trump's Supreme Court would have decided that Congress has a constitutional right and duty to oversee the Executive branch, and that all subpoenas must be honored. Once decided by the Supreme Court we would have a ruling that would prevent all presidents for generations to come from impeding the work of Congressional committees.
But I don't think it's too late. I believe that the best thing for our Democracy is for Pelosi to hold onto the Articles of Impeachment, reopen the impeachment hearings and call those witnesses. Get a decision from the Supreme Court that will protect our Democracy better than partisan impeachment by the House and exoneration by the Senate. What lesson will future presidents learn from that scenario? A Supreme Court decision will lay the groundwork for investigations into any future abuses of power or contempt of Congress. This is the only true permanent solution.
3
@GR One flaw in your thinking. A final decision requiring subpoenaed individuals to testify fully could have taken year(s). That's why the Democrats didn't wait.
1
"If the articles are not transmitted, Trump could legitimately say that he wasn’t truly impeached at all.” ... Prof. Noah Feldman, Harvard Law*
* Prof. Noah Feldman recently testified on behalf of "Impeachment" in front of Nadler's House Judiciary Committee.
7
And yet people say that Trumpists live in the Land of Massive Denial, upon whose happy shores they while away the sunlit hours grasping at the straws of technical debate and refusing to notice the rising seas.
Guy’s impeached, okay?
2
@Robert An indictment that never leaves the grand jury room is not an indictment.
1
Since McConnell has already gone on record (and on Hannity's show) claiming that he won't be acting in a fair and impartial way, he cannot take the oath, to "do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws," required of him at the start of the Senate impeachment trial. So he has a personal investment in seeing that such a trial does not take place, as it would result in his perjuring himself and opening himself to being impeached.
This is a dilemma that Democrats need to expose and press him on: it's leverage waiting to be exploited. Democrats can use it to force McConnell to publicly restate his intentions and conduct a fair trial, with witnesses on both sides.
10
"Ms. Pelosi risks appearing to politicize the matter if she withholds the charges for negotiating leverage."
This made me laugh. As if the republicans aren't treating this as a purely political matter. It's time the democrats start playing hardball. The republicans have no intention of honorable dealings in this matter. Best to hold the articles of impeachment until after the November elections. Nancy Pelosi has the power to do just that. That would be known as the "Garland maneuver".
13
@AM
I did not realize that Democrats were no playing hard ball. Also I am sure Democrats never politicizes the matter. I am a democrat by the way. I have a hard time keeping a straight face when I say that we do not politicize the matter.
I hated it when Barack Obama was obstructed by republicans at each and every turn. I used to think we democrats were better. But turns out I am wrong. Oppose Trump on immigration and his foreign policies. But stop beating this dead horse on impeachment.
I remember Bush senior suspending foreign aid to Israel until they stopped settlement related activities in WestBank. USA has pressured india with sanctions to stop India from buying equipment from Russia. USA is now threatening Germany with sanctions for carrying out legitimate trade activities . All these are Quid pro quo in one way or another.
I know you may say that this is different. But assume it is Donald trump working in Hunter Bidens place next year and assume that Donald Trump loooses the election in 2020 to a democrat. Will our democratic president not ask Ukraine to investigate Donald Trump?
2
Speaker Pelosi should follow McConnell’s example and “let the American people decide.” After all, we could have a very different Senate next year- a Senate willing to do it’s constitutional duty. Give those impeachment articles a good rest in a filing cabinet for a while.
3
June would be a fine month to hold the Senate Trial for the removal of Trump from office. June would be too late for Trum to primary anyone who votes against him; and, it would provide enough time for more facts to come out, since Trump can't help but say all the bad stuff out loud.
1
Not allowing witnesses is the definition of obstruction and this will be a matter of making the case that Republicans are doing all they can to avoid finding out the truth.
The question is who will the public blame? Right now over 70% wants witnesses and Mitch told the public he does not. This is not the Clinton impeachment it is much worse than the Nixon trials that had him resign. Time is on truths side hear, as much as Republicans hope otherwise.
5
Speaker Pelosi's refusal to cooperate with the impeachment process is no diffferent than Mr. Trump's refusal to cooperate with the impeachment process.
Both decisions were borne of political calculations. And most importantly, Speaker Pelosi demonstrates that political power has absolutely nothing / nothing to do with principles.
In that respect, she is the same sort of political animal that is Mr. Trump.
And there is nothing wrong with that.
5
I'm wondering if there isn't another possible reason for the delay. It's now Christmas break and everyone has gone home, or soon will. Unless they live in a bubble the Senators
will run into the people who elected them everywhere they go and we all know people love to share their opinions. If, and granted it's a big if, the Republicans in the Senate are faced with anger, dismay, and disappointment from the people who vote then maybe when they return to Washington they won't be so willing to ride the Trump bandwagon.
Trump is a problem that will be resolved soon enough by either the impeachment or the election but there is a more dangerous problem that exists and will continue to exist in Washington. That problem is Mitch McConnell. Unless something like this or the Supreme Court nominations are in the news most people don't think about the power and control that a Senator who has held his seat for 35 years can wield. Senators are elected for 6 year terms and there is no limit to how many terms they can have. A presidential election generates attention from all quarters and people will come out in droves to vote for or against a candidate. Not so with a senator. Unless something totally egregious happens close to an election the incumbent will most likely keep his seat. That gives a senator another 6 years and that means a senator could be active before, during, and after a two term president. If you think about it you get a whole new vision of who thinks he's God.
1
Pelosi needs to hold those Articles of Impeachment until we get a ruling on Trump’s tax returns. At that point, his financial entanglements and his lifetime of lies will begin unraveling.
It seems very unlikely that the GOP is unaware of Trump’s criminal tax evasion, but they sold out the nation to stack the courts and provide real ROI to their financial patrons. The Republicans are as morally bankrupt as the president they installed in office. They’d better be mindful of who their dealing with or they’ll join Trump in the financial bankruptcy hall of infamy.
5
I like the Merrick Garland approach. What goes around comes around.
10
What goes around comes around:
Trump wants a trial to clear his name. McConnell wants to hold a trial to help Trump clear his name and McConnell has made it clear that he will run that trial according to Trump's instructions.
No law requires Pelosi ever to submit the trial to the Senate for McConnell's statedly biased mismanagement.
Remember Garland!
5
When is an impeachment not an impeachment?
When the Speaker of the House fails to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
13
This whole charade follows a carefully designed script.
First pick an easy, 'saleable' incident, blow its significance way out of proportion, using a still unidentified 'whistle blower' (whose concerns are deemed irrelevant soon enough), letting the media hyenas feast on it, with the speaker coyly avoiding to even use the term 'impeachment', let alone proceeding with it, showing 'leadership'.
Second, once the public is perceived to have been roiled up enough and the TV cameras are hungry for even more juicy nonsense, start the house impeachment process in a rush, knowing full well, that it will die a quick death in the Senate, declaring in blasting headlines, that the 'President has been impeached'.
He was not.
The real drive behind all this is to create preconditions for a full Democratic takeover of both the House and the Senate; a de facto one party system.
It might still happen, but no the way the script writers imagined.
8
As he has stated multiple times, any trial organized by McConnell will have no goal other than to prevent witness testimony, and to exonerate Trump. Dems should sit on these charges, and make this reality part of the 2020 campaign to recapture the Senate. Current Republicans are nothing more than Trump “yes men.”
7
Most people understand that a fair trial includes presentation of evidence and witnesses. I think it is smart to let it sink in for the voters that McConnell want to dismiss rather than conduct a fair trial on some very serious accusations.
4
In the House they justified rushing through with the impeachment vote because Trump was a clear and present danger to the nation. But now, they are perfectly willing to delay sending the impeachment articles to the Senate and allowing the clear and present danger to remain in the White House without facing a trial. Talk about hypocrisy.
After spending all this time investigating and holding hearings in the House, and voting to impeach, the Democrats now refuse to send the articles to the Senate so that Trump has a potential impeachment hanging over his head without an opportunity to prevail at a trial in the Senate, then it will clearly be Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats that are abusing their power, not the president. And I suspect that enough Americans will see this abuse as a reason to re-elect Trump.
7
Sure, voters are tired of it all by now. So just drop it! Don't send the articles to the Senate, and just let the 'indictment', for that's what it is, hang over his head for 11 months, and let the voters decide.
BTW, partisanship of the House vote is irrelevant. Obamacare enactment vote was quite partisan too, but it's what the people wanted, and still want. Same here.
But drop the whole process now, and let the voters decide, and let all the other criminal investigations and processes proceed, too -- lots more to uncover!
2
Speaker Pelosi is correct in holding off sending the impeachment charges to the Republican-led Senate.
Over the past week, Senator McConnell said he’s coordinating with the White House, not an impartial juror, and knows how it’s going to end since there is no chance the president will be removed from office. Senator Graham and other republican senators are also on board with these statements.
When Senators begin the trial, they’ll need to recite the following: “I solemnly swear (or affirm) that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of President Donald John Trump, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: So help me God.”
How can Speaker Pelosi release anything to a group of Senators who’ve already stated what they’ll be doing, before the trial begins?
5
@Ed
It's not her job to decide the impartiality of the Senate.
It was her job to decide the impartiality of the Congress, and she failed to do that.
How many Congresspeople were crowing about impeaching Trump from the day he got elected? Quite a handful. Yet their votes were still counted, and their "impartiality" never questioned.
That knife cuts both ways.
1
Oh, I believe Ms. Pelosi will almost certainly have it "both ways"!
Let's remember that McConnell held a supreme court seat open for a year because he refused to recognize the constitutional prerogative of a twice majority elected sitting president. If Nancy wants to wait for ten months until we have better leadership in the Senate, how can anyone fault her logic? McConnell clearly and publicly stated that he intended to oversee a mock trial allowing only a predetermined partisan outcome, that he would be in lockstep with the administration. Why should she submit to that. Let Trump dangle, knowing that he has already been impeached. Unfortunately the country will dangle with him, but it was McConnell who set the stage for all of this. If the case for impeachment is as weak as as McConnell says, if Trump is so innocent, then why not let Bolton and Miller Testify to that fact? Sheer hypocrisy and obfuscation.
6
Who does Mitch think he is kidding when he says he is OK with the new Pelosi timeline.
Mitch is going to have a most miserable Christmas trying to deal with Trump as he stews and bangs around in a house to small for his ego.
Those who think Pelosi has no leverage are kidding themselves.
I hope that she sits on the impeachment indictment and continues the investigation, and continues pushing in the courts.
Republicans are going to scream either way. Let them scream.
6
We would be well served by the NYT having a constitutional lawyer or a Supreme Court scholar tell us more about what John Roberts role is in the process. Can a kangaroo court be allowed to go forth?
4
The solemnity of the impeachment vote? A charade of anti Trump anti Russia clap trap. These neo cons who have hijacked the Democrats foreign policy have turned arming a ethnic war in Ukraine into high policy. The Congress passed sanctions against Germany and Russia because buying natural gas from Russia gives Russia too much political influence. So the US follows a policy that is aggressive, pointless and dangerous. The impeachment made abundantly clear how muddled the USs warmongering in Ukrainian really is. The whole process shows the Democrats hatred of Trump is so extreme that despite the fact Trump is an extremely unfit person to be president he actually benefitted from this painful stupid endeavor.
2
Opinions are changing daily.
A major evangelican magazine has now flipped.
Time is not on the side of this corrupt man.
Drip, drip, drip.. becomes a flood. No rush for Mz Pelosi.
4
Drip, drip, drip. Drivel, drivel, drivel. Circus Maximus. Trump is the most likely person in the this farrago to sink his own vessel. "Leave him to heaven" and watch what happens. Meanwhile, work to get out the vote in November.
6
Dems don't want their phony house impeachment exposed in the senate. I want to hear from Joe and Hunter Biden about Ukraine deal and China deal. That's swamp to me.
6
Mitch may say "Fine with me" but then Mitch wasn't the one who was impeached. It's not fine with Trump. He wants Mitch and the deplorable Republicans in the Senate to hold the sham "trial" and vote to not remove him so that Trump can bray "exhonerated, not convicted blah, blah, blah. Until Pelosi sends the articles and the sham trial occurs, Trump has one word attached to him "IMPEACHED."
Keep Trump swaying in the wind Speaker Pelosi, make him hear that word "IMPEACHED" daily and see it in print daily and walk around Mar-a-Lago with his "friends and family" over the holidays with the word "IMPEACHED" hanging on him like the huge stink from the cesspool that he is.
4
You know what is really amazing and bodes poorly for the Democrats? It’s unbelievable to me that there are so many Trump supporters on a NYT comments thread. I don’t read NYT comment sections all that often, but when I do it’s 90% liberal. This is more like two thirds liberal. Just an observation. No, this is not scientific, but interesting.
2
If McConnell is going to make Pelosi wait around until he agrees to grant a fair trial, Pelosi may as well impeach Elaine Chao for corruption in the meantime.
3
Ms. Pelosi risks appearing to politicize the matter if she withholds the charges for negotiating leverage
It's reporting like this that had me switch to the Washington Post... the NY Times has fallen so far it's an embarrassment.
1
"Speaker Pelosi risks appearing......to politicizing the procedure..:"
To see "Politicizing" see: McConnell Mitch and repub party et al.
The classic double standard raises its ugly head again as the MSM overlooks the daily politicizing of the American legislative process by the whole of the Republican Party starting with the dumpster and moving through Mitchie to Rep Jordan et al.
The Republicans in the Senate cavalierly ignore the rules and tradition daily and then exhibit shock and horror when the Speaker demands they follow procedure before she follow through with the trial.
Let us begin to hold the entire Republican Party to the standards and norms of the functioning of the Congress.
3
Today Prof. Noah Feldman opines that impeachment is a process, not a vote. Trump's not impeached until the House appoints Managers and transmits the Articles to the Senate.
Mitch should set a date certain for the trial and if the Dems don't show, dismiss the whole mess for failure to prosecute.
7
Amazing.
One is reminded of Lewis Black’s great routine about how he handles people who deny that evolution happened: basically, he points to the rock in his hand, and he says, “FOSSIL!”
I might also refer you to the great Bill Paxton’s hilarious meltdown in “Aliens:” “This is not happening, man. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!!!”
1
@Robert
Did you also argue with your teachers that they should accept your late assignments when they told you they would not?
Sorry, it doesn't matter if you filled in every answer correctly. If you don't hand in your test papers with everyone else, you still fail.
Mrs. Pelosi has committed a fatal error.
The Constitution defines impeachment as the House voting the articles of impeachment and delivering them to the Senate. If the articles are not delivered, impeachment has not happened.
Congress has now adjorned. When it comes back into session in 2020 the impeachment articles, not having been delivered to the Senate, will be null and void.
Pelosi's impeachment will be exposed as the hapless carnival it has always been.
10
I read the Feldman article all y’all are relying on. It actually just says that you can make a pretty good case for this if you’re Trump, not that it’s just plain true.
For all practical purposes, your boy got impeached on Wednesday. It was in all the papers.
3
To auote the unfortunately-not-actually-immortal Frank Zappa, “Kinda freaks you out, don’t it?”
1
@Robert
Doubles the burn when it comes from Zappa.
To those who don't see the "risk" in this move, I would suggest you have no idea how the impeachment looks outside the bubble.
Polls show it is already at the bottom of Americans' priority lists. Democrats are already seen as having squandered their majority on impeachment. They've also seen and heard the grandstanding: Our very democracy is at stake! We must do this now! Stand up for the Constitution!
And then Pelosi decides not to proceed to the next step, citing some procedural objections. It looks like democrats are just "playing games."
That's why it's "risky."
11
I adore seeing Trumpists try to oretend that they know what every REAL American thinks.
Talk about your bubble. And it’s not surprising, given that your boy’s been bubblicious his whole life: born way rich, never had a real job, it’s been limo to golf cart to limo the whole time.
Then there’re his carefully-screened rallies, the appearances on campuses in front of students who’ve been ordered to appear or “students,” who’re paid and bussed in, and so on.
Then there’s his bizarre mental bubble...
1
Pelosi was right in the first place when she said impeachment ought not to be undertaken without bipartisan support. She's doing the right thing now to hold off sending the impeachment articles to the Senate, where acquittal is certain. The hearings and debate did not move the public opinion needle; Trump's approval rating remains at 45%. By voting "present," Tulsi Gabbard was the only Congressperson who got this right -- she realized that, as utterly vile as Trump is, continuing a process that was only helping his re-election prospects wasn't "standing on principle" so much as it was suicidal. Let the impeachment articles stand alone as a censure. The Democrats now need to take this to the people and make their case.
5
Ms. Pelosi knows what she is doing. Here is impeachment looming over the showman. He can yell about it now for weeks and weeks and frankly, people will be bored. I believe their are vast Trump and McConnell crimes yet unexposed and the longer this tension remains, the closer we will get to bearing witness to the great fall. The fact of the matter is, Trump always ultimately fails and this will be a beauty. And if we follow the Russian money, McConnell is right there behind him.
4
It is absolutely the correct move to withhold the articles until after the holiday. I just wish Democrat’s had a more forceful response to the taunts from the right. The Senate’s prejudice in this impeachment has been startling. Yet again they undermine the rule of law, lying about due process, and putting party over country. Put Giuliani, Mulvaney, and Bolton on the stand and make them talk under oath! There is no way the impeachment will conclude satisfactorily until this has happened. Dems should never have concluded the hearings until these direct accomplices had talked. Now they have to try and arm twist McConnell with no leverage.
1
McConnell is trying to figure out how to deal with the powerful Ms Pelosi. He thinks she’s funny, not powerful. He jokes about her motives, instead of actually challenging her. Typical reaction when you have nothing to say, which he didn’t. I for one will be contributing to a ‘defeat McConnell campaign’.
2
I am an independent and tired of this total partisan politics. Let me get this straight; Trump was impeached by a totally one sided vote by the Democrats. The Senate has the opposite majority and now the Dems are balking that the hearing would be one sided?
The Dems are looking petty in their actions.
7
A question about the impeachment proceedings. What role does the Chief Justice play presiding over the hearings? I thought the judge would be vested with the authority to determine who may or may not testify instead of the majority leader.
2
After trying to sell impeachment as a "somber" yet necessary duty the house had to perform, now it is clear that this has been nothing but a political exercise. Only the most dedicated partisans could have put together the completely non-criminal articles the Democrats rushed through the house in the first place. Now they are stating clearly that they were never concerned about the impeachment articles, only the political benefit they thought would accrue to impeachment. Their current silliness will be judged by Americans as such.
7
So McConnell thinks Pelosi has no leverage by waiting. We see the leverage everyday in Trump's outbursts and tweets. The longer this plays out, the harder it will be on Trump because he cannot claim innocence until there is a trial. An ongoing impeachment debate will hang over his head like a guillotine. Would he rather fight an election by being found not guilty by the Senate, or as guilty of impeachment by the House? I see no reason for Pelosi to cave to a McConnell farcical trial until after the election.
With respect to question if a delay or politicizing will hurt democrats; the withholding of the nomination for the supreme court judge did not hurt Republicans at all. IMHO the same will hold true for Pelosi's strategy.
McConnell will lose big by not offering a fair trial. Republicans will pay the price for McConnell's stonewalling. And Trump will further unravel as impeachment remains the lead story going into the election all because of a brilliant strategic move by Pelosi
2
Let's be real, Nancy and Mitch got together, looked at the next two weeks as we all have and said: "Let's do this in 2020, see you next year."
Even Congress needs a break from the madness.
1
McConnell may joke about it on the Senate floor, but you can be certain that he's highly steamed that the House is keeping the impeachment trial out of his reach. Just as Trump may joke about "impeachment lite" at his rally, while everyone not wearing a MAGA cap knows he's about to jump out of his skin from anger and rage.
Nancy Pelosi knows all that, and how to keep them both heated at a low simmer of uncertainty and frustration. Trump will be the first to break -- he just can't tolerate frustration -- and McConnell will then bend to Trump's desires. Trump, as always, will be his own worst enemy.
2
Could go on as long as the hold that “Mitch” put on for the Supreme Court.
Imagine that, an impeached President, seeking re-election.
Nice try McConnell, you can play coy but we all know you want this over and done with. You said so yourself. This tactic is clever and you know it. And fair minded Americans will see that Pelosi is only holding back for a fair trial, nothing partisan like your blocking of Supreme Court nominations, so I doubt there will be political fallout for the Dems. Checkmate.
3
How the heck can any thinking person not understand that the basic strategy of Trump's defenders in the Senate is to simply squash any notion of a fair impeachment trial.
McConnell cites his actions in preventing the calling of witnesses that the event being a political, not a legal, action and therefore not subject to legal rules. His colleagues, at virtually the same time, complain that Trump has not been afforded certain legal niceties by the House impeaching him. The Cheshire cat lives!
In holding back transmittal, Pelosi can quite truthfully claim any trial, political or legal framework notwithstanding, has been so jiggered by McConnell & Co. as to make a mockery of the process itself. Pelosi would do well to just let the articles hover over Trump, like a sword of Damocles.
The whole point of the House process was to honor the Constitution. The House was constitutionally, morally, and ethically obliged to call this president out for what he is. They did their duty.
Let the people make their voices heard in November as to whether they think McConnell & Co. are worth their salt.
McConnell: ‘Fine With Me.’
Pelosi: "And I raise you with Schiff's Committee continuing his investigations and calling a few more witnesses."
4
All that’s going on is that Schumer and Pelosi are playing some hardball politics. Good for them.
Those of you who wanted the Democrats to fight? Well, this is what that kind of fighting looks like; sorry, but it’s politics. They’re cutting a deal, is all. This involves some public posturing and pressure, while behind the scenes the staffers wrangle.
And if that’s not fighty enough for you, well, what is is that you think good political brawls look like? You just get up and scream? You send tweets with pix of AOC? Barricades and tanks?
If you’d like to read about a recent example of How To, read the Times’ nice article of this week on Pelosi, Schumer, and the successor agreement to NAFTA. If anything shows what you can wrangle if you’re good enough and the President’s lazy, semi-literate, and prone to wandering around with his mouth open....
1
So does the speaker have a plan? Or are the Democrats going to allow themselves to be outmaneuvered once again???
4
The strategy begs the question of whether the articles could be sent back to the House Judiciary Committee. The ultimate goal is to get witnesses like Bolton to testify - can the House repeat its evaluation of the articles and call witnesses, or the fact that the Judiciary committee has voted concluded any of that? Getting Bolton to testify seems more likely in the House, although they may have to wait for the Supreme Court to compel witness appearances. And of course any witness could begin legal haggling over Executive Privilege. But right now that lengthy legal procedure is sounding more appealing than a quick acquittal in the Senate.
A Senate trial that includes the cross examination of witnesses demands different methods and managers than a process that doesn't. Just because McConnell says he would not allow witnesses, and Donald Trump says he wants witnesses yet blocks them, does not change the fact that the Senate can vote on the matter. If Trump and his defenders have a defense, then first hand witnesses must be heard from.
The American people know when important testimony is being with held from them.
2
Perhaps Pelosi is opting for the lesser embarrassment. To explain;
Although I think Trump should be thrown out on his ear, and should have been a long time ago, I think it was a mistake to start impeachment proceedings unless the Democrats were SURE they could convict him in the Senate.
We all know that’s not going to happen (barring some new over the top egregious revelation about Trump.) If not convicted, Trump will make a huge political issue of it.. Witch-hunt! Fabrication! Fake news! Which will stoke up his base and perhaps keep some political fence sitters leaning towards his side. Big mistake by the Democrats!!
By not referring the impeachment to the Senate for trial, Trump still stands impeached but cannot claim vindication. Certainly the lesser of the two evils brought on by impeachment proceedings, on very “weak” ( as impeachable acts go) grounds, as evidenced by the fact that most of electorate has not changed their opinions one iota. Having Nadler say in one of his comments “Is what the President has done impeachable? Yes!” The fact he had to say it means a lot of the electorate were scratching their heads about it. Very weak grounds.
Having Trump acquitted in a Senate trial is a gift by the Democrats with bows on it!! So, don’t bring it to trial and have your nose rubbed in the big loss!
Huge mistake from the getgo!
7
Pelosi is like the petulant child who tries to hold her breath until she gets her way. McConnell comes off as the responsible adult who says "Go ahead". Guess who will win this battle.
10
My wife works with young women who have aged out of foster care. One of her charges, a 20 year old black woman, commented about the headlong rush to impeach: "What have these Democrats done for me? Nothing."
10
@Tench Tilghman
They have passed scores of good bills that the self described Grim Reaper in the Senate refuses to bring to the floor
1
@Tench Tilghman Ignorance is bliss. Your wife should have provided her charge with a list of the bills passed in the House of Representatives, many of them bipartisan, that are gathering dust in the Republican-lead Senate.
1
I have jury duty in a couple of weeks and last night I decided if chosen to serve I will raise my hand and announce to the court that I have decided to follow the "Mitch-Rule", I cannot be an impartial juror. Wish me luck!
How ludicrous!
1
Dems and ‘progressives’ talking about impartiality.
Priceless.
As if any Senate Democrat will vote to acquit...
8
It's tedious to hear people wringing their hands over how 'awful' 'partisanship' is because Nancy Pelosi is playing well-deserved hardball against Mitch McConnell. I'm glad she's doing it! For almost a decade now, Mitch McConnell has run roughshod over our Constitutional norms and has worked overtime to destroy the working of our congress. Let him cry foul like the unethical hypocrite he is. Both McConnell and Trump deserve a taste of their own medicine for once.
11
Lather, rinse, repeat...as needed.
2
They can wait at least 293 days.
Noah Feldman has said all that needs to be said about this. Don't send them, didn't even Impeach him. What a joke.
6
Republicans: "wa, wa, wa...president Trump could not defend himself nor present witnesses during the investigation in Congress. "
The people: "Ok, so now he can defend himself and present witnesses in the senate. Is trump going to do that? "
Republicans: "No."
Wa, wa, wa.
3
WH obstruction to Congress is the real deal. McConnell wants no part of the truth to keep trump free reign for the takings. McCarthy blowing smoke with no cigar is pathetic. Pelosi holding the cards for now, showing up Mitch is a small win.
1
Trump is Impeached, so before delivering the Articles to a corrupt Senate, the House should investigate to develope more Articles with the goal of delivering them to the new Senate after the election. Just like McConnell refused to consider the nomination of Judge Garland, so should the House treat the sham trial offered by a lame duck President's toadys. Let the disgusted Citizens vote out the Republican's majority in the Senate.
2
Is anyone doing investigative work into Russia and the Republicans? Something fishy is going on. Follow the money.
The Democratic Party is a horror and a sham. This delaying tactic by Pelosi and her party is outrageous.
9
String it out like Christmas lights. Send one over and see how it lights up #MoscowMitches bulb. Wait and digest then launch number two at the opportune moment. Keep the circus in play with a constant drumbeat of Sunday talkshow imbroglios.
The American people relish partisan bickering over substance. The hapless #45 gets to play the victim over the opposition. Those Democratic contenders play second fiddle as hayseeds in a two-step.
This is a sure sign the Founders envisioned as the process unfolds. By keeping CJSCOTUS occupado on the trial the other Justices can 4:4 decisions and kick the can down the November 4 road.
Everyone gets a piece of the impeachment pie.
1
The Republicans are playing checkers while Speaker Pelosi is playing (and winning) Kal-Toh. Their “self-awareness” (i.e., lack thereof) is absolutely amazing. What was in that Kool-Aid?
1
NYT's ,that is a sloppy headline for those of us reading online. The trial is not "in doubt" they are fighting to make it impartial. McConnell & Graham have made it clear they will not be impartial. Using the term "in doubt" plays into McConnell's hand that "the House has a weak document and are scared to present it"
She's a conservative operative! She wants Trump to win in 2020! Red herrings! Strings for the kittens to bat at! Windmills masqueraded as dragons!
Nancy Quixote!
(guy in the sound booth clicks the laugh track button)
Raucous laughter.
Drinks all 'round!
3
'By withholding the articles, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is hoping that President Trump will pressure Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, to commit to Democratic demands.Credit...'
C'mon, every word in the above is beyond believable to anyone in DC or NYT readers...Sher & Nic reflect on such and get back to us.
3
Send the Articles of Impeachment on Halloween, October 31. The American people will be the judge and jury three days later on Election Day.
Memo to Mitch: Pretend like you do have the impeachment articles. Make your trial procedure and rules, then tell Pelosi what they are.
Is that so tough?
3
Speaker Pelosi knows and understands the flawed character that is trump. Delaying his acquittal will mess with his ego so much that he will do and say things that will widdle away at any remaining non-cult member support he enjoys at the moment. In other words, if he wasn't a narcissistic, short-sighted, ignorant egomaniac she would lose this game of chicken. But she knows that's exactly what he is. Give him enough rope.....
1
The Duchess of Darkness has painted the Democratic party into an impeachment corner with no way out. C'est dommage....
7
McConnell is such a snake. He bullies, he cajoles, he chuckles, and is surprised Pelosi doesn't want to give him the ball when he has stated publicly he won't be impartial.
Pelosi should demand he recuse himself. And any of the other GOP choir members that approach this solemn duty with no care for their oaths.
1
I think they should proceed and get it done. Delaying won’t change the outcome, and just plays into Trump’s “unfair witch hunt coup” narrative.
They also should have explored more of Trump’s actions.
2
@Karen Lee, They did, and couldn't find anything so they made something up.
4
Oddly, perhaps fortuitously, after getting to this discussion late, I am able to read hundreds of commenters who insist that Nancy is making a huge mistake with her delaying tactic, and hundreds more who insist that her tactic is brilliant.
So, since nobody can predict the future, or even very well assay the present, it seems fair to conclude that we have a 50-50 chance of doing the correct thing no matter what Nancy does: quickly turn over the process to the Senate or never turn it over.
And a note about McConnell: He handling this matter expertly for his side: By mocking Nancy, he wins support for and from his team, and it puts pressure on her to let the process begin in the Senate, which McConnell may or may not want in reality. Cunning as a fox, McConnell recognizes the advantages of his situation and plays to them, as usual. He even realizes that most people despise him, so he uses his mock-joy to taunt them into making a mistake, which, Nancy won't do -- she knows the dynamics here. But I gotta say to our nemesis: well-played; Senator McConnell, you make a great villain, worthy of an Oscar or at least a daytime Emmy.
Yet he claims to love and honor the Senate while making it a sham, a joke, and an outrage. What a piece-of-work he is!
2
The Speaker has been played by her own caucus. Her choice was losing her speakership or going along with the squad and their enablers on the fringe. The whole of the party was held hostage, including Schiff and Nadler, and now it is stuck between between Scylla and Charybdis. The Dems have indicted Trump for abuse of power and obstruction. Nobody and nobody else thinks the basis for these articles are tantamount to high crimes and misdemeanors and can serve as a basis for removing the president of the United States from that office.
Ms. Pelosi caved, should not have and this will cost her the Speaker's Chair and result in her party being whipped in the 2020 election.
Pelosi is a loyal trooper and a hard worker but lost her spine in the face of the squad (who evidently are now hidden out of sight) and consequently her cowardice has messed this up to a fare thee well.
8
Uh...I’m registered Independent (like St. Bernie, and for many of the same reasons) am somebody, and am darn sure that that phone call shows “high crimes and misdemeanors,” all by itself.
By the way, I learned something recently: I thought, “high crimes,” meant big ones, when it actually refers to crimes committed by those in high offices. Those who aren’t easily subject to the ordinary criminal processes that would have you or me in the slammer by now.
3
I didn’t think it was possible, but it looks like impeachment will possibly help Trump win re-election.
10
The House made its rules for the impeachment without input from or making provision for the Minority. The Senate can do the same and it is an abuse of power for Speaker Pelosi for her to interfere with the procedures of the Senate for political purposes. Should she be impeached for those twin high crimes? No, nor should Trump. It is no wonder that Congress is more reviled by the public than the President.
6
Actually, dude, the two Committee hearings ran on rules that the REPUBLICANS wrote in 2015. And the floor debate and vote on Wednesday ran by rules that Republicans agreed to, and actually ran pretty well.
And since you seem unaware, Republicans were in all those basement meetings, had the right to question witnesses, and so on. They just plain got beat on the votes, because they just plain got creamed in 2018.
It is possible to look this stuff up, ya know.
2
Pelosi needs to serve the turtle his own soup by holding on to those articles until a Democrat majority holds the Senate. Then we’ll have a legitimate trial.
1
Ashley....: “The sword comes into the world, because of justice delayed and justice denied.” Mishnah (1st B.C.E.-2nd century C.E) and “Justice too long delayed is justice denied.”-Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Pelosi’ s refusal to send the articles of impeaching Pres. Trump over to the Senate for trial effectively denies “the People” any redress for our alleged “injury” that Pres. Trump has allegedly inflicted on our country. The articles are therefore an empty document, a waste of tax money, and indeed a “sham” unjust to both us ‘the People” and Pres. Trump. Under our Constitution everyone has the right to a speedy trial.
2
I do wish that the headline indicated why Pelosi may delay sending the case to the Senate -- McConnell is blocking the use of witnesses and documents.
4
This is typical R nonsense, and who cares whether a bunch of legal talking heads, and I'm a retired lawyer myself, are proving how smart they are. The duly-elected House investigated, held hearings, had debate, and adopted articles of impeachment within their Constitutional authority. The House can stay in session until 11:59 a.m. on January 3, 2021, and since the Senate for legal purposes is a continuing body, the House can submit the articles up to that minute and Trump will have been impeached. Unless McConnell is claiming the House isn't the elected House, he has a duty to act in accordance with the Constitution and legal principles. He and any Senators who can't listen to the evidence with some semblance of an open mind need to recuse themselves. Maybe there's one R who has enough courage to represent their side fairly even if they ultimately vote to acquit.
6
Where are Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitt Romney? If you claim to have not made up your mind and want to hear both sides, use your leverage with McConnell. Demand to hear from witnesses. Demand a fair trial. Most Republicans in the Senate are a lost cause, but the silence from these three is deafening.
7
Where is the DNC with national and social media advertising that explains succinctly why the Dems are holding out for a fair, impartial Senate trial?
The Times had an article this past week about Tom Perez, DNC Chairman, who was lamenting that he was being criticized from all directions. Well, he deserves the criticism, for not going toe to toe with the RNC on media messaging. Perez has ceded the battle for hearts and minds to the GOP, which has neither a heart or a mind, but plenty of propaganda chops.
2
Speaker Pelosi is not going to withhold the impeachment articles from the Senate. The media; I write not of Fox News but of the media critical of Trump; always likes to push to the extreme. It fits the need of sparking controversy and conflict which serves Trump's purpose in the end. The now conventional but false wisdom that the Democrats are shifting to the far left is another example. Surely, Pelosi is taking pause to allow the McConnell/Graham defiance of the Constitutionally determined role of the Senate to serve as an impartial jury in an impeachment trial sink in. Given a little pause maybe, but unlikely, John Bolton who sent his aide Fiona Hill to testify will feel some inspiration of conscience to speak out himself.
2
@Daniel Hudson
Impartiality.
Progressive speak for ‘convict.’
Oh, and name one Senate Democrat who’ll vote to acquit.
1
@EGD It is abundantly obvious by his own words and actions that Trump is guilty of the articles of impeachment adopted by the House. Moreover, Trump has never once reached out inn reasonable fashion to try to unify the country realizing that more voted against than for him in 2016. Any other human being "winning'" the presidency as he did would have done so with Thomas Jefferson being the historical example after the bitter campaign of 1800. What is your prescription for unifying the country?
I suppose that John Roberts will make the decisions that relate to the trial. McDonnell may set up limits as to the organization of the trial, but not on legal issues. Democrats can appeal to the judge on a variety of issues and he has to decide whether to grant them o not. It will be interesting to see on which side he will fall.
1
She's right. The Senate trial is a sham. Participation in the sham = complicity, and there is way too much of that already. She is a hero right now, standing for governance.
9
@Nancy Simington
After singlehandedly losing the House majority over Obamacare she has replicated the feat. That makes her my hero too.
1
@Nancy Simington Why is the Senate the sham, why nit the House? Oh, you're a Democrat-- pure politics.
3
The more the Democrats toy with the process, the more clear it is to everyone that this is only about the losing party throwing a three year long hissy fit, and not about anything substantive.
14
“Toy with the process,” and, “three year long hissy fit,” are probably not phrases that Trumpists should be throwing out there.
We’re on to the whole, “Whatever I’m doing I’ll accuse you of,” bit, you know.
1
Guaranteed, despite the faux bravado, Mitch is not "okay" with this. The sooner he can dispense with this, the sooner he gets Trump off his back and the spotlight on his do nothing Senate elsewhere!
7
This was the right choice. The point has been made and there would be no benefit in giving Trump a political victory by allowing Mitch McConnell to quash these charges.
The Democrats have proceeded in good faith and have every right to expect a fair trial. If McConnell chooses to politicize the process by refusing to hold one, Democrats have the right and, indeed, an obligation to uphold the authority of the Constitution by declining to enable him.
What the Republicans continue to obscure is that Donald Trump has been committing impeachable offenses since the day he took office, including by flagrantly defying the emoluments clause. The Democrats declined to impeach him, for political reasons.
That is the irony here – it was by NOT impeaching him that the Democrats played politics, believing that to impeach Trump would merely galvanize his base. Finally, however, Trump’s behavior became so egregious that the Democrats would have been derelict in their duty had they not proceeded.
Not surprisingly, because they have been playing politics from the start, protecting a president who they know full well is unstable, incompetent, and dangerous, the Republicans have chosen not to do their duty: not to hold a fair trial, but rather to simply exonerate their bad boy. Pelosi will not play along. She’s right.
The Democrats have behaved ethically. If we do “keep the republic,” it will be because of patriots and public servants like Nancy Pelosi.
16
How is her decision a gamble? If the parameters for a fair trial aren't set ahead of time, sending the charges to the Senate is essentially giving Trump's lackeys free reign to exonerate him. Impeachment is the equivalent of a grand jury trial, so ultimately it's still in the hands of the impeachment managers to decide how to proceed.
7
There must be some legal regulation which will move this forward. It can not just be up to Pelosi and McConnell. It seems to me that the rules are something the Senate should decide, not the House, and that Pelosi can only bring the articles to the Senate, not make the rules there.
1
Please remind me what “rules” McConnell was following when he announced to President Obama that Obama would not get to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of Antonin Scalia.
Please remind me what “rules” McConnell was following when he never even allowed a HEARING, let alone a vote, on the nomination of Merrick Garland to that vacant seat?
Garland, the chief judge of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, was Brett Kavanaugh’s “boss.”
1
As a recent immigrant to this country, I have learned that America’s democracy is just as corrupt as any other country. In fact, perhaps even more, since there is more wealth to be attained through politics.
10
Yes that’s why they fight so much. It’s all about who gets the money.
1
@Andrés S
The fact that neither party is getting what they want actually proves the exact opposite.
I have been advocating this strategy for quite some time. There is nothing to be gained by allowing McConnell to conduct a show trial on his terms, followed by certain acquittal and months of "TOTAL EXONERATION". But the Dems should put the emphasis on documents rather than witnesses. Documents speak for themselves, while it is clear that every Republican speaks for Trump. As a side note it is rich that Trump is now crying foul and demanding a trial. The letter he sent to every person in Congress closed with a demand that the Democrats cease their efforts immediately.
7
This is all so very simple. According to the Constitution, what the Democrats did in the house was not only legal, but justified, regardless of the political escapades on both sides.
The Senate leader has already gone against the Constitutional structures by NOT being an impartial JURY.
Look, I’m able to see both sides of this Impeachment process, and I know how strongly partisan ideology can be in a fight between two combating teams, but somewhere, TRUTH has to be recognized and dealt with.
If Donald Trump is actually Innocent of all the charges as the Republicans have asserted, then I really don’t want to live in a country like this anymore!!!
6
McConnell is bluffing. He's shaken and infuriated, and it shows, but he's better at hiding it than Trump!
Pelosi's move was unexpected and she caught them both off-guard. But the Constitution is on her side:
"The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."
That is all the Constitution says about how the House impeaches. It doesn't say when or how the House transmits Articles of Impeachment. It doesn't even discuss Articles of Impeachment, Impeachment Managers.
Besides, the Speaker has perfectly reasonable position. No prosecutor goes into a case knowing they will lose, that the judge, the jury, and the accused are all in cahoots together. So she's using McConnell's own tactic on him, and he's not had that before.
Yet her cause is far more just than his stealing a Supreme Court seat. She has stated what the Senate must do for her to proceed: The Senate must establish fair, even-handed rules of a trial, with witnesses, evidence, and a chance to present a proper case, which is the LAST thing McConnell and Trump want!
And while they wait, the Judiciary Committee under Nadler may well come up with more Articles of Impeachment against Trump (surely there could be at least 100 impeachable offenses)! And Trump, McConnell, Graham know it, and know that Pelosi and Nadler know it too!
18
You’re right. She should deliver the articles in her birthday suit and tooting on a horn.
I thought Mr. Trump was a clear and present danger to our democracy and an imminent threat to the republic. If so, then why delay sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate? Ms. Pelosi is showing what we knew all along, that this impeachment is nothing more than political theater, and that the charges really amount to nothing.
12
@chip,
What part of McConnell’s all but promising that he would not allow a fair trial don’t you understand?
1
Because she knows that in sending it to the Senate, he will remain a clear and present danger to the republic. The corrupt Mitch McConnell has already announced a kangaroo trial.
2
Your claim that "Ms. Pelosi risks appearing to politicize the matter if she withholds the charges for negotiating leverage." forgets that impeachment is by definition a political and policitized process. When Mitch McConnell announced the verdict before even hearing any evidence, it was politicized. When he claimed to ignore the oath he'd be taking of being an impartial juror by saying he was working with the defendant, he politicized the process. And when he categorically refused to allow any witnesses, he not only politicized the process, but corrupted it from having any semblance of fairness. So, it's also "fine with me" to let the albatross of impeachment without a biased rush to "Total Exoneration!" hang around Donald Trump's neck and have the ultimate jury, the American people, vote on his guilt or innocence next November. With 71 percent of the public saying in a recent poll that the trial McConnell would conduct is not "fair" Speaker Pelosi may be right is realizing that "We. the People" should decide whether or not Donald Trump is above the law.
7
But it's not fine with McConnell. He's just posturing. The White House has said it wants a speedy Senate proceeding, and Pelosi is making sure she doesn't do Trump's bidding. Trump won't be happy with McConnell. Too bad.
7
Nice to see that McConnell and Graham shooting their mouths off have had the worst effect possible. Their abilities and honor are now in question and Nancy gets the upper hand. That is until the next move on the "chess board".
3
In trying to analyze the Ukrainian manipulation, it seems that in French it would be " detournement de pouvoir " = "power diversion " but if you look for a translation of " detournement de pouvoir " it is " Abuse of power " .
But in French there is a clear distinction between " Abus de pouvoir " and " Detournement de pouvoir " .
The difference does not exist in English .
@JPH Of course " Detournement de pouvoir " is a much more serious crime than just " Abus de pouvoir " .
To commit a speed limit infraction is not as serious of a crime than stealing a car !
Torquemada Schiff ran his intelligence committee the way he wanted to. Hearings in the basement in secret and witnesses only the Democrats allowed to come out into the open. It was 100% partisan in the house, and Nancy can take her time for weeks or months or never. In the meantime McConnell will just get more conservative judges confirmed and life will go on until the election in 2020
3
There were Republicans in the hearings too- did you miss that point?
2
@Mitchell,
I don’t know what you hope to gain by repeating that GOP lie.
Those of us who read know that Republicans were on that committee and that they had every opportunity to both call and question witnesses.
Now McConnell refuses to allow the same right to Democrats in the Senate.
The Republican Party will do and say anything to prevent the truth from being revealed.
1
Clayburn: "“If you have a preordained outcome that is negative to your actions, why walk into it?” he said. “I would much rather not take that chance.”" Exactly. Now you know why Trump didn't send people to the House, for which you tacked on an impeachment charge. Which means you should all be impeached for not sending the impeachment to the Senate.
1
@Robby,
That logic doesn’t stand up.
Trump defied the law in trying to prevent the truth from coming out.
The Democrats are delaying sending the articles to the Senate because McConnell has vowed to prevent the truth from coming out.
In both cases the Republicans are stonewalling and the Democrats are trying to achieve more transparency.
1
Trump has not yet become the third president to be impeached. The House has voted to approve articles of impeachment, but this is just one step in the impeachment process . The impeachment process is not complete until House impeachment managers deliver the articles to the Senate. Until that happens, impeachment doesn’t happened. The articles of impeachment now have the same status as a federal indictment that has not been delivered to a grand jury. Trump has not been charged with impeachable offenses.
In an attempt to force the Senate to conduct an impeachment trial to her specification, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refuses to appoint house managers. But the Senate is obliged to take action only after it receives the articles of impeachment. Until it does, the Senate should continue to conduct business as as if there will be no impeachment.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7812103/Mitch-McConnell-declares-Donald-Trumps-impeachment-trial-IMPASSE.html
5
Using the Daily Mail as a source is the same as using the Daily Calker- weak.
1
@William,
None of that is in the language in the Constitution.
All it says is that the House has the sole power of impeachment.
2
@William Case
Pelosi is trying to avoid the crash landing that impeachment will have in the Senate. Keep it alive, if you will.
2
Some Democrats Push to Stop Charges From Going to Senate
Now the Democrats flout the Constitution
The US is turning in a Banana Republic.
On Nov 3 I will vote for Sanders
@Carol,
No, it is Mitch McConnell who us flouting the Constitution, by all but guaranteeing that the Senate will not conduct an open and fair trial.
1
Good on you, Nancy.
What wonderful sight to see, a woman not at all intimidated, and standing by true beliefs.
I say, Yeeha!
5
"We need to hear from these witnesses."
"No."
"We need these documents."
"No."
"OK, we're charging you with obstruction."
"Your case is weak because you don't have the witnesses and documents to prove it."
It's amazing how many Americans are falling for this scam. It's the most brazen, transparent, and corrupt behavior we've ever seen in this country.
Trump is going to solve the corruption problem in D.C.? Pffffftttt - this administration is the very definition of corruption!!
The American public needs to pull its collective head out of the sand and end this charade once and for all. There is work to be done!
13
Great move by Ms Pelosi!! This will make the already crazy Trump even crazier. He will remain impeached. Sending the articles to the Senate now would be stupid, because the Senate will just say Trump is innocent and the trial will be closed in 5 minutes. The articles could be sent to the Senate in September or October, so that the trial is fresher in the memory of the voters in November.
6
Question: McConnell and Graham have both said emphatically that they will not be impartial witnesses. Yet, they must take an oath promising impartiality. If and when there is a trial, can the Democrats make a motion to Justice Roberts to have them removed as jurors?
11
Pelosi’s withholding of the impeachment articles from the Senate is the constitutional equivalent of McConnell’s not scheduling a hearing for Judge Garland. Everyone who criticized McConnell should oppose Pelosi’s action.
2
@Ambrose,
No, they are not the same.
In both cases it is Mitch McConnell who is subverting the Constitution, first by refusing to allow a lawful hearing for Garland and next by refusing to allow an open and fair trial in the Senate.
1
Let's restart with an impeachment of McConnell -- get him out
of the way. His *advertised* stand at the moment can not
co-exist with the initial promise of impartiality the senators have to make.
--IL
5
Why are the Democrats not investigating McConnell and his wife? If they don't then I doubt whether they really want to impeach Trump.
2
Elaine Chao, McConnell’s wife, is under investigation for possible profiting from her office with her family company.
1
So let get this straight. Pelosi and the Dems insisted that they had to rush to get articles of Impeachment passed before Christmas because this was so urgent and simply couldn't wait. But once they passed it, they can afford to wait forever because they want to dictate to the Senate how to conduct the trial? Seriously?? Madame Speaker, you have made a mockery of the Constitution. Either the charges against Trump are serious and must be adjudicated or they are phony and you did this for political gain. Given that suddenly there is no urgency, I think it's pretty obvious which it is.
4
@Eric Incorrect. Trump made a mockery of the Constitution. That's how we got here to begin with.
3
@Eric,
It is McConnell who is responsible for the delay, by refusing hold a fair trial in the Senate.
1
Classic. The impeachment is so critical and crimes so horrible that nothing but the removal of the President is warranted. However, let's wait and see!
4
It’s interesting that so many news articles talk about the political dangers of any aggressive moves by the Democrats. The Republican Party on the other hand can be shamelessly thuggish and criminal, and there are apparently no consequences. This is nonsense. It’s time the Democrats grew a spine. We are fed up, and we will support them. Stick it to ‘em, Nancy!
12
When are Americans going to finally realize this is NOT about next year`s election. It IS about upholding the law, your Constitution, and honoring the Oaths of office they all took. Even if that means nothing to Trump and the Republicans. If Trump is not held accountable for his scandalous actions and betrayal of putting country ahead of himself; then your dying democracy is now a farce. Obviously the Trump sycophants cannot/ will not see the Big Picture.
6
So now Pelosi after wasting OUR tax money wants her own Quid Pro Quo. The Dems say Vote Blue No Matter Who--I say Vote Red to save our Country's Bread. Tired of my tax money being wasted and these silly charges and hearings that amount to nothing.
6
@Hello As a fellow Texan, I ask you this, aren't you tired of Trump spending half his term holding rallies (70 of them!), vacationing, and tweeting? That's not working for America. The guy who said he would never vacation spends more time and taxpayer money on vacation and doing rallies than any president in history. Because he's taking time off during the week traveling to his rallies. If Trump cooperated with the investigation Congress has every right to conduct per the Constitution, Pelosi would send the articles to the Senate, the Senate would hold the trial, and all this would be over. Trump is obstructing. This taxpayer money drain is on him.
11
Well said, Krustin.
But these obvious, public facts are wasted on Trump supporters.
They spin their own narrative based on the lies they are fed by the Republican Party and the rightwing media.
1
We should trust Mitch McConnell...
Just wanted to see those ludicrous words written out for all the people out there advocating that Pelosi put this process under the care of Mitch's hands.
6
The senate has no sensible reason to say no to witnesses who can exonerate the president - his top staff. Unless, of course, senate republicans don't think these witnesses will exonerate him, but rather will convict him. Bring these witnesses in - let them exonerate him. Why won't you do this?
5
Hold your cards off the table until you have a winning hand. Why lay them down now and lose? Let Trumpelstilskin twist in the wind in the months, I repeat, months before the election. The senate majority leader, and the judge from the supreme court are already bought and paid for by the crooked defendant. In the meantime, prosecute all of the president’s men who violated their subpoenas in the judiciary and intelligence committees , and prosecute them to the fullest extent. Get an airtight case together, and then in January of 2021, send the whole thing forward to a Dem majority Senate. It’s win/win.
4
I'll keep this brief.
THE DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS STILL DO NOTHING..
Happy Holidays lets all take two weeks off and enjoy our government health care...
5
They just did a lot, including standing up to Senate corruption.
1
@Reva Cooper
what did they do but just waste time. No proof, no subsistence, just a waste. They should try doing what they were elected to do. And, good old Nancy taking credit for a new trade agreement which was all Trump. They have been trying to get him out of office since he was elected. Why not just get someone who can win.
Not this way.......
Please stop with headlines like The Democrats Withhold... The Democrats Stall... Please put the blame where it belongs. On a Republican Party that has refused to cooperate in any way to preserve our democracy.
7
Interestingly Madame Pelosi changes her wardrobe to predictable and symbolic red following the somber black of the day before, the soon to be national holiday, Democrat Impeachment Day. Quelling the suppressed euphoria of her Democrat colleagues following the vote, with only a few dissenters demonstrating a whiff of conscience casting a no, the feigned somber affair has turned into a glee fest as the Speaker professes a new lightness in her step.
However, with her delay of sending the charges to the Senate, she is now obstructing Congress, participating in extortion with a quid pro quo and perhaps bribery that is unquestionably an abuse of power. Equally important, there is no impeachment until she does send the charges to the Senate. Sadly, as the gavel shakes noticeably in her hand and her speech now borders on the incoherent, Ms. Pelosi has cemented her legacy as removing democratic from her Democrat Party in this partisan episode of fascist politics attempting to nullify an election.
6
@Grant,
Aside from the vacuous allusion to Pelosi’s dress, the charge of “fascism” for a process ordained by the US Constitution is outlandishly desperate.
I see no defense of Trump for his wrongdoing, nor a defense of McConnell’s vow to prevent a fair trial by the Senate, but only a feeble clutching at straws in attacking the Democrats.
1
No witnesses? No trial. Make the henchmen tell the truth OR take the 5th. In front of the entire nation.
5
That’s it Nancy wait on sending the articles. Wait until you have flipped the senate to a Democratic majority so you can get your conviction. Only problem is the voters will be so fed up with your nonsense that the Republicans hold on the Senate will only get stronger and it is you that will lose your seat come time for your re-election. You are playing checkers while Mitch is playing chess.
4
@Peter,
Actually, Pelosi is asking for fair play, whereas McConnell is playing dirty.
1
Donald Trump being put on trial in a GOP-controlled Senate: At this point, about as credible as a white man in 1940s Mississippi (or Kentucky, for that matter) being put on trial for the murder of a black man. Acquittal is assured in both cases.
5
NYT writes: "sending the charges to the Republican-led Senate in a politically risky bid..."
I don't see this as any more politically risky than what McConnell did when withholding the vote of Merrick Garland.
and
"they (the Democrats in Trump-friendly districts) can ill afford to go home for the holidays looking as though their party is playing politics with something as grave as a Senate impeachment trial."
This too is an over-dramatized statement. The Dems should stand proud for what they are doing and the circus put on by the Republicans is proof positive that what they are doing is right.
Pelosi is a master strategist and the Democrats are doing the right thing. Sending the Impeachment Articles to the Senate where the Senate under McConnell will just make a mockery of the process would be a political mistake and charade by the GOP.
9
A sham trial was going to happen in the Senate. McConnell said it. Lindsey Graham said it. And other Republican senators alluded to it. The Republicans in the House projected it by not defending the president but by throwing every kind of mud at the wall just to see what sticks. Then we would have the indignity of Trump parading around saying he won and did nothing wrong. It would be a travesty to our democracy, to our rule of law and to our country and make us a laughing stock of the world if our Senate exonerates Trump. The world was watching the House hearings. Now, Putin is coming to Trump's defense. We truly live in interesting times.
8
So, Nancy is going to sit on an egg that was never going to hatch in the first place. Wow. And the democrats think that Americans will find this riveting? It's like watching paint dry.
6
@Dino: Americans are fed up with the non-stop drama emanating from the White House and apoplectic Republicans. They want stable, dignified and unobtrusive leadership again. Any of the current Democratic candidates, with the possible exception of Tulsi Gabbard, fits that bill. But even Gabbard would be preferable over Trump.
4
@Anna I don’t think it is possible to have stable, dignified, and unobtrusive leadership anywhere in the USA. Sorry, to inform you of this but our government, republicans and democrats, our narcissistic clowns.
2
It would not surprise that Pelosi is taking John Ehrlichman's advice from 45 or so years ago and will leave Trump "slowly, twisting in the wind".
Well done, Madam Speaker.
8
@Fred I guess you must be a conservative in disguise because your recipe for action will lead to the R’s controlling Congress and the Presidency. Be careful what you wish for...
@William Baker
As a rule I don't normally reply to comments on my comments but yours is so far off-base:
(1) I offered no recipe.
(2) Trump will be "twisting, slowly" for the next 2 weeks while Congress breaks for Christmas. Will do him good.
(3) No disguise, just an overweight, old white guy who has voted "D" all his life.
The rest is a non sequitur.
1
McConnell announces he is not impartial. Makes clear the case is dead on arrival. Announces that the jury is coordinating with the defense.
Then he says it's "comical" that they don't send him the articles.
Remarkable!
9
Just like in a trial faced by regular Citizens, there should be jury selection from the senate.
1
All Trump sought to do was question corruption in Democrat governance. It wouldn’t surprise me if Trump knew exactly what would happen knowing that if Democrats impeached him he would have even greater support in the country. At every turn Trump seems to win. Hummm.
5
@Confused: Yes, you are confused indeed!
2
@Anna
I am not all sure that I am confused. Have you seen the latest polls?
1
I support Speaker Pelosi's hold on sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate. In fact, since Mr. McConnell has indicated that he won't allow additional witnesses to testify, like Mick Mulvaney, John Bolton and Rudy Giuliani himself - witnesses who are at the core of the issue, I think she she should reopen the investigation in order to subpoena those witnesses. To that list I would add Christopher Wray, who has debunked the Ukraine meddling theory - the theory that House and Senate Republicans have espoused in order to vindicate the president. Yes, they will defy those subpoenas, and it will have to go through the courts until it finally reaches the Supreme Court. In the end, this process is likely to drag on into the next term, and trump may never face a Senate trial. However, bringing forcing these officials to face contempt of Congress charges will set the most important precedent for future Congressional oversight hearings and future impeachment proceedings. At this stage of the game when Mitch McConnell has boasted that he doesn't intend to let the Democrats bring damaging witnesses to the impeachment trial, the best thing that Pelosi can do to save our Democracy is to go the long route and get Supreme Court rulings that the President cannot obstruct Congressional hearings at his whim. President trump will not be removed from office. McConnell has assured us of that already. Ms. Pelosi has to look beyond trump and McConnell to set parameters for the future.
13
Speaker Pelosi has no reason to take any action until after the New Year. Congress is not in session and everyone is too busy with the holidays to pay attention. Besides this will give swing state Senators and Representatives a chance to find out how much trouble they're in with their constituents. Or not in trouble.
5
Delay the trial until such time as Democrats control the senate. It will be worth the wait, as I am sure Mitch "Merrick Garland" McConnell will agree. "Let the American people have a say in this," he would say. The electoral may be able to favor the minority in elections, but trials aren't supposed to work that way.
7
@Peter that’s gonna be a very long wait.
1
@William Baker
So you are recommending Pelosi act now, and let a guilty man be "exonerated" by a jury that profits from ignoring the evidence? What's the point? I'd rather wait. A very long time, if necessary. To have the trial now would not only "exonerate" Trump, but all the Republicans who support him. I would rather they all go down in history as guilty and complicit, even if I don't live long enough to see it.
1
What judge in the land would allow the defense to deny witnesses for the prosecution?
Speaker Pelosi is absolutely correct to insist on this as the only way to attempt a fair trial that Americans can witness.
10
"Miracle at Philadelphia" by Catherine Drinker Bowen, about the Constitutional Convention, is one of my favorite books and well worth the read to understand how we got here. The "miracle" is that so many men had the wisdom and courage to work together and they did create a miracle. We don't have those kinds of people right now. One party is hopelessly corrupt and the other is having trouble trying to deal with them.
4
@Brookhawk both parties are hopelessly corrupt.
Even though Mitch McConnell seems amused, I suspect he is furious at this challenge to his power. But someone who calls himself the Grim Reaper should not be given responsibility for anything. Since he became Republican leader, he has served only himself, not the country, and likely not even his party. A Republican majority merely keeps him in power as majority leader. In my opinion, it is more important to defeat McConnell in the 2020 election than even Trump.
10
I continue to ponder the simplest, yet most vexing, question of all in this awkward, partisan battle.
If trump has nothing to hide, then why on earth would he forbid from speaking on the record, the very people who could swiftly and unequivocally exonerate him? It clearly makes no logical sense.
Unless, of course, he is guilty.
11
That’s exactly the message the Democrats should hammer home.....endlessly. You know the GOP would.
1
The problem is not that senators have already made up their minds—they watched the same hearings we did. The problem is that they know Trump is guilty but will nevertheless acquit him.
8
Constitutional Law is not that simple.
Period.
1
Is not the following exert a public admission by McConnell that he is guilty of the impeachable act of obstruction of justice? If Trump wants his day in court why cheapen it by saying from the out set that they have no intention of acting impartially? What are they trying to hide?
“Mr. McConnell has both infuriated Democrats and complicated the picture for them by asserting that he has no intention of acting as an impartial juror in a Senate trial of Mr. Trump, but would instead do everything in his power, working in concert with the White House, to quickly acquit the president”
3
@Stephen Ellis Hearing it put that way, makes me wonder if McConnell didn't bait Pelosi into holding onto the articles on purpose. Maybe he is calculating that a quick acquittal would give time for 1) Democrats to criticize the kangaroo court trial right up till the election, and 2) Trump, emboldened by yet another "exoneration", to engage in his next round of impeachable actions.
If the trial is held up, on the other hand, maybe McConnell is thinking that Republicans can criticize Democrats as being afraid to go forward AND the impending trial could (though McConnell is probably wrong in this) keep Trump's behavior in check.
McConnell's words are just too outrageous not to be a set-up of some kind.
2
45 goes on TV and in a sentence, a 30 second spot, orders the House back in session immediately.
“Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution provides that the President
may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper.”
45 should convene the House of Representatives in this unquestionable extraordinary circumstance.
They are not acting justly. They are in fact frustrating a “speedy trial” which is a fundamental guarantee to every American.
The Grim Reaper shall remain on a well deserved vacation.
The House & Pelosi have their job to do
They cannot dictate what the Senate does.
1
@WorkingGuy: Neither can the Senate and the President dictate what the House does. Let’s assume Trump convenes the House. Then what?
1
@Anna
The burden to act is on Pelosi.
She alone.
Meanwhile, the House Republicans can take to the floor and lambaste the rushed procedure denying due process. The denial of a speedy trial. The denial of 45 getting to clear his name.
45 gets all the spectacle he might want.
1
@WorkingGuy
There
Part of the denial of due process was not allowing the judicial branch to function.
The House has acted unilaterally and with secrecy on getting the two articles passed in a party line vote.
The rationale was to stop election meddling in 2020 and a rogue President.
Now this is no longer the case?
Now there is no urgency to allow an innocent man (presumed innocent like everyone in America) to clear his name?
Call the House into session.
Let them stew.
45 play golf every day.
Senate rest up.
1
This is great stuff from Pelosi and the Dems...
Keep it going!!
This is a gift for our President! - these actions by the scarred and embarrassed Dems will ensure his reelection.
Awesome! Thank you!
5
When the Senate Majority Leader and the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee publicly state that they intend to manage the impeachment trial as directed by the White House, it's ridiculous to proceed with an admitted farce.
Why waste time with a kangaroo court?
Speaker Pelosi is not legally required to transmit the articles of impeachment and she has no legally defined deadline.
The House has done its job despite lack of cooperation from the White House and the Senate.
It would seem their next step is to control the narrative, to put the true rationale for not immediately transmitting the articles front and center.
That McConnell, Graham, and the White House (buttressed by Fox News) dominate the news cycle with lies is beyond comprehension.
6
@Nereid on a good night Fox News has about a million viewers, more than the others, but about a million. It’s probably spiking somewhat now. There are 320 million people in this country. Fox News is a great bogeyman for those looking for a simplistic explanation for voter opinion,
@Nereid on a good night Fox News has about a million viewers, more than the others, but about a million. It’s probably spiking somewhat now. There are 320 million people in this country. Fox News is a great bogeyman for those looking for a simplistic explanation for voter opinion,
Strange logic for Pelosi. The Senate can’t really set the rules for the trial until they get the Articles. So, she will have to wait a long time. The longer she waits, the more she will be backed into her stance. The narrative will shift to how lame the impeachment is. This is great! The true colors of this political stunt will be exposed.
2
@Qcell: That station was passed after McConnell stated he’d acquit Trump no matter what.
1
Impeachment is a serious matter. The Democrats started hearings and called members of the Executive Branch. Trump refused citing executive privilege. The Democrats objected and filed a lawsuit. But rather than allow justice to be served and allow the legal system to adjudicate that critical Constitutional question, the Democrats rushed to impeach. And impeached on obstruction of Congress - while the lawsuit to answer that question is pending!!! As a result, they have a very weak case and the American public is evenly split on whether Trump should be impeached.
Ms Pelosi is holding the articles because she knows she has no case. Even if the Senate called witnesses, those who refuse to testify will await the legal ruling on whether they are required by law to testify.
A terrible showing by the Democrats -- a rush to judgement ignoring the rule of law. Let the wheels of justice turn, build your case, and convince the American public.
They forgot the saying "slow and steady wins the race". They are the tortoise and they lost...
4
@Aesop I think you're missing the point. Speaker Pelosi wants the witnesses to testify that are trying to dodge their duty. What's wrong with waiting for a decision from the courts before the Senate trial? It doesn't change the charges against Trump.
1
Abus is an old French word that came into use in the English language in the 16th century . From the latin " abusus " .
It is an interesting etymology because at the origin it means to spend, or to waste . Literally "ab "= to separate yourself from the use . To use up. To consume .
In fact it is still in the legal definition of private property in that way : the right to dispose and destroy its own property .
"Fructus abusus ", etc...
But in the common use ( ! ) ,from the 17th century on (about the time it came into the English language ) the meaning also "wasted " itself into almost an opposite sense which is " excessive use " or bad usage . In clear the result of the waste . The error. The misuse. The wrong spending .
Americans hate etymology because it is the presence of historicity in the language . They hate the concept of historicity .
But one has to have the conscience that even if the common usage of a word is something, it has become and taken the habitus of something else, it still keeps in the symbolic meaning the original sense . Perverted . Detourned .
Trump has not "wasted " his power as president of the USA ( NOT ONLY ) in that manipulation of a foreign leader into his own interest , he has appropriated the power of the USA (not HIS ) into his own political interest .
By ordering the justice of another nation to act against his political opponent . And using the money of the military aid from the USA to pay for that service.
Theft would be more correct .
1
I trust Nancy Pelosi's strategic skills in this. McConnell is trying to hold a kangaroo court; let's just hope Republicans start to rebel against the corrupt leadership in their own camp.
3
Here we go again with the mainstream media trying to be "fair and balanced" and instead playing into the hands of perhaps the worst President we have ever had. What defense is Trump going to make, Sheryl and Nicholas? We've heard nothing from the GOP except yelling, contradictory complaints about the process, and thousands of lies and deceptions. The next thing the media is going to do is pretend that whatever Biden did (if he's nominated) is equal to the 5 million terrible things that Trump did. But then what do the elites care? They will still get to keep their tax cuts and the stock market is doing fine. Who cares if the country is going down the drain when you're busy summering in the Hampton and skiing in Aspen.
2
Nancy Pelosi may be waiting for the next big Trump scandal to hit - at which point she can send the impeachment articles to the senate and make it difficult/embarrassing politically for Mitch and GOP senators to exonerate Trump. We are told that the Intelligence Committee continues to investigate Trump.
1
I have two words for Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham if they so disapprove of the House decision to hold the articles back: Merrick Garland.
7
The Republicans have followed the mafia handbook during these proceeding. Trump works to keep witnesses from testifying and the jury has been bribed. The jury foreman actually admits to working on behalf of the defense. All the while Republicans whine about a fair trial.
It’s remarkable that Republicans are now so open in their contempt for this country’s most venerable institutions. In the past they just kept it quiet.
6
More proof this is a cynical, partisan political tactic misusing the impeachment process in an election year, rather than a real legal case.
Similar to when Bill Clinton was charged, except Clinton did lie under oath. He did break the law by denying his sexual encounter in the White House with an intern. In both cases political parties just hated the elected President. I still do not know what law it is proven Trump broke , except the PC enforced codes by the illiberal Democrats. Won't it be easier for Democrats to stop taking Wall St money and go back to focussing on representing workers again. If they did that Trump could never have been elected.
5
Well done, Ms. Pelosi. Let Don the Con twist in the wind and froth at the mouth while doing so. Wise to wait for SCOTUS to weigh in on the cases involving access to Don the Con's tax records. If the records are opened to scrutiny, it will be game over for him. Regardless. the point that needed to be made has been made.
3
Perhaps Speaker Pelosi would like to wait for a confirmation of a guilty verdict from the Senate trial before she submits the articles of impeachment.
2
Is there anybody, even remotely associated with the Democratic Party, who has the foggiest notion exactly what this impeachment fiasco is costing the party in time, treasure and votes.
Instead of selecting an adult, white, male (sorry, Nancy; we tried The Ladies, and learned that the voting public is less "enlightened" than the "Progressive" wing of the Democratic "Party".) capable of beating DT and getting on with the business of winning the next election.
Have we even considered this possibility?
4
I’ve already planned the menu for my Trump re-election party.
5
Stay strong, Madam Speaker. A fair trial or no trial.
1
They should delay sending the articles to the Senate until after the election. Let the voters decide!
1
If there’s time limit on “walking” the articles over to the Senate from the House maybe Pelosi should call MM’s bluff and hold up the process until next year’s elections. And if DT should be re-elected, but the Senate flips... then Pelosi should take that walk.
2
Translation: Pelosi has fallen in her own trap, and is just realizing how it feels. Why should McConnell assist when he can gloat?
3
We will wait until the holidays are over. Why ruin the holidays for the people?
2
@William
Not ruining the Holidays for me. It was a great day when that crook in the White House was officially impeached and I for one want the trial to be fair. Not a Mitch McConnell special. So, yep, we can wait for Nancy to level the playing field.
4
@William Everyone knows Trump will be re-elected.
2
After all that we have witnessed, how can anyone trust the Republicans to act in a manner that would allow the full truth to be revealed to the American public? Clearly, what we have in the White House is a wannabe dictator in the mold of Putin and other such tyrants from around the world. I am convinced that if Trump had his way he would trash our Constitution and substitute some sort of dictatorial manifesto that would anoint him "Supreme Leader".
Clearly, Trump has a peculiar disdain -- a palpable dislike for democracies. I am convinced that he thinks them to be "weak"...that it deprives him of the ability to act swiftly as he sees fit. And it is for this specific reason as to why Trump represents a clear threat to our democracy -- a democracy to which, it should be noted, a countless number of Americans have sacrificed their precious lives in defense of. And what has our president offered the military when he was called to its defense during the Vietnam war era? Answer: a deferment based upon "bone spurs" in his feet. (Has this ever been legitimately confirmed?)
10
Pelosi risks politicizing the matter by holding the articles until after their recess? Didn’t the Republicans already do that by ALL voting against the articles straight down party lines???
3
It doesn’t matter what Pelosi and the Dems do or don’t do. Trump will be re-elected.
5
Merry Christmas trump supporters!
May your stewing over the holidays bring great pride and joy to the rest of us. It certainly does for me. I'm thrilled!
May you realize being impeached is the ONE thing trump has earned in his life. He actually earned this! All by himself!
May trump find peace in that he's one of a few with an impeached tattoo.
May he not hold too many tantrums. 73 years old and holding tantrums. Think about that.
May you find solace in that your guy was just impeached. It just happened. You own this.
I don't need anything else under the tree.
10
Mitch McConnell refused to allow Garland’s nomination to proceed because “it’s an election year”. Nancy Pelosi should announce that “because it’s an election year, the make-up of the Senate might change, or even come under Democratic control. Therefore, let’s hold the impeachment vote paperwork until after the election in November."
11
Trump: “So after the Democrats gave me no Due Process in the House, no lawyers, no witnesses, no nothing,..” That is some serious gaslighting. The House formally proffered an invitation to the White House to have Trump or his lawyers present their case, with their own witnesses. They refused. Publicly, on the record.
It would not be out of character for Mitch McConnell to finally agree to terms and then renege on them once the articles are transitioned to the Senate. He is the lowest of the lowest dirty dealers and Nancy Pelosi would be foolish to trust him. He keeps nattering on about how unprecedented her stalling is, but ironically says nothing about how unprecedented Trump’s criminal behavior is. If she just keeps saying he refuses to come up with a plan for the procedure, and gets a dig in about the hundreds of bills the House has passed that McConnell has refused to take up in the Senate, he can be successfully painted as an obstructionist.
7
Wake up, Americans! Trump is deflecting because he is/has been doing with ALL of his family (sons, daughters, sister, brother, and -in laws) exactly what he accuses Joe Biden of.
6
Their bluff has now been called. Pelosi raises 4 witnesses. Trump and Mcconnell fold or go all in with losing hand?
2
If the articles of impeachment are not brought to the Senate then there isn't any impeachment according to a prominent Harvard law professor who testified for the Democrats at the impeachment inquiry. Nancy Pelosi is either very smart or very dumb. I think she is the latter has miscalculated Mitch McConnell. Mitch will not let Nancy deter him from his roll which by Constituonal authority has committee control over an impeach trial in the Senate and does not have any responsibility to allow the House to set the rules or authority to do that. If Pelosi wants to do nothing that is just par for the course.
2
Indeed why help to establish yet another kangaroo court as early as now ?
The problem is not the orange Unprecedented. He is but a symptom for what is wrong (blatant corruption). The problem rather seems to be that there is no other choice.
In a cemented two party system without a majority vote, things do degenerate (very) quickly, if something kicks in...
Europe could tell about that - if you only would listen.
We've learned about weapons of mass destruction? That man still is not accused of war crimes/inticing the death of hundreds of thousands ?!!!!
Neither will the Unprecedented be removed from office.
At best - if you give him a really hard time- he might denounce for health reasons. Pelosi or Co is no option.
Running your country in a responsible way to all citizens might be an option ? It will be a long road. You'll have to cut down on dumb symbolism and consider what really is the backbone of your nation. To play FAIR and transparent.
I hope.
1
Worse by the minute. Imagine being charged with crime, but not being told exactly what the crime is . . . ‘ It’s kind of like this . . .’ Or being pulled over in your car and the officer responds, ‘your doing something wrong, I just have not figured out how to word it yet’.
The Dems are handing Trump the 2020 election.
4
51 votes. Who will have the moral courage to stand up and vote, one by one, on witnesses?
5
Nancy Pelosi is a shrewd one. As I thought about her not passing the Articles of Impeachment Wednesday evening, I wondered if she wanted to watch Trump squirm; I think she succeeded if his actions yesterday are any indication. I also can’t help but wonder if impeachment is much stronger than censure. If censure is but a reprimand, what would it contain to stop Trump from continuing his errant ways? Could having the Articles of Impeachment at the ready serve as a sufficient and stronger deterrent to Trump’s oft-transgressions?
2
Speaker Pelosi should expand on her explanation for delaying transmittal of the impeachment articles to the Senate.
The crimes of Trump are ongoing (violations of the emoluments clause, tax fraud, obstruction of Congress, to name a few), the impeachment inquiry is fluid (there are potentially multiple additional articles of impeachment), the work of the House has not come to a close.
Let Corrupt Trump twist in the wind as McConnell spits out his hatred of Democrats. Republicans defended their corrupt Majesty with claims that Democrats hate him; the greater truth is Republicans have had nothing but hatred for Democrats AND democracy for many decades.
Hold on to the articles of impeachment. More may come. The right time to transmit them will be when Ms. Pelosi chooses. Meanwhile let Trump ripen and compost as Republicans jump up and down crying, screaming and pouting.
8
At the start of the impeachment trial, every Senator, just like every juror, takes an oath of impartiality. By his own statements Mitch the crony avered that he is lock step with the WH. Ordinary trials are moved to another locality to ensure impartiality of the jurors. In this case it is perfectly logical to wait for 2020 elections, and not rely on a lame duck partial senate.
3
How much more unfounded, unconstitutional control over our lives will we allow this unhinged House to exercise?
It's one thing to be realistically optimistic that all this reckless and feckless behavior from House Dems will lead not only to our President's reelection and GOP majorities in both House and Senate next November, but in the interim this group is waging all-out wars across our entire system of government.
John Durham's report will get the big fixes underway, if there's anything left to fix. Buckle up, America: the best is yet to come.
2
Fantastic idea. It's nice to see Democrats find their spine and start playing hardball. Kavanaughing the Impeachment and using their own tactics against them is nothing short of brilliant. Trump gets to hang in the breeze like Damocles waiting for the sword to fall which will send him over the edge. Democrats can keep investigating and add more impeachment charges if they choose, and they can wait and see what the election holds while still hanging "impeachment" like an albatross around Trump's neck.
6
Now that the Democrats have had their way they must take the next step of exposing the bigger reason why Trump is unfit to be president. Trump has a brilliant mind along with an insane brain. Hie emotionally challenged brain totally disqualifies him from being president. Recently his doctor gave him a clean bill of health. This doctor knowingly lied about Trump's emotionally challenged brain. The Democrats need to sue the doctor for issuing a false report. Given the extent of Trump's mental illness, it will be very easy to prove in the courts that Trump is unfit to be president. An even bigger step that both the Republicans and Democrats need to take is to pass legislation that never again will an emotionally challenged brain be allowed to even contest for the White House.This time around the Republicans should have found a leader to challenge Trump who like Trump would walk and talk the talk of his Republican base. A leader with a brilliant mind and a super healthy brain would show that Trump is not the only one who will go way out to fight for their causes. Trump's behavior should also be a wake-up call for our leaders to the fact that America is a mess because our experts lump brain and mind as the mind when these are separate entities. As a result, we have cutting edge mind education and the equally essential brain education is mostly missing. Trump is the symbol in chief why we need to overhaul education, healthcare and even social and upbringing values.
This is becoming a clown act. According to Noah Feldman, one of the expert witnesses from Harvard, "impeachment" does not happen until the articles are presented to the Senate. And just like the three horsemen of impeachment in the House, Pelosi, Schiff, and Nadler, called the shots, McConnell does so in the Senate. Pelosi is powerless and she knows it. So she has been "hoisted on her own petard". A wonderful phrase from Shakespearean time.
5
Why would the Democrats put the country through these divisive impeachment proceedings and then not let the process proceed to the Senate the way it's supposed to? Sounds like the Democrats are hiding something. There's something they don't want people to know that might come out in a Senate trial.
5
@dgbu Or because the Republicans have already made it clear that they won't even pretend to be impartial jurors. McConnell has said that he will be coordinating with the defendant and will not call important witnesses (Bolton, Mulvaney, et al.). Why send it to a kangaroo court. Better to wait and let Trump stew in his ignominy.
4
If an author were to put the present scenario in a novel, no one would believe anything like this could ever happen. In any event, it tends to put the lie to how urgent and important it was to "impeach" Trump. (Actually, Trump has not yet been impeached. The House just drafted the articles, but, until there is a trial in the Senate, the articles were just a drafting exercise.) Now it is abundantly clear that the House's impeachment effort was just political hatchet job that is going to go no where.
5
Pelosi is correct. McConnell and his Republican cohorts can't say they are going to hold a kangaroo court and then be taken at face value when they take an oath to be impartial jurors.
It is better that the Impeachment decision, with all of its real evidence and all of its Trump-indicting context be written in history as a situation in which the Republican Senate was too compromised by Russia to actually hold a fair trial.
6
Can the House keep the impeachment articles to send to the Senate for as long as it t takes to get a Democratic-controlled Senate? It would be interesting to see if Trump won in 2020 but the Democrats won the Senate by a large enough margin that Pelosi could then send the impeachment to them and convict Trump. Any constitutional scholars out there who have a answer would be appreciated.
3
Now that Senator McConnell has publicly said who he works for, endorsed a preordained outcome, and relinquished his duty as the leader of the Senate, there is no rush to send him over the articles of impeachment, or even send them at all. Senator McConnell finished his job, and his legacy.
5
The House should have agreed to a censure of Trump's actions in Ukraine. That would have bipartisan support. Impeachment had no bipartisan support in the House, but was purely political. Now, we continue to waste time on this mess.
5
@JP What makes you think the Republicans would have agreed to censure him? Did any Republicans mention censure at any point during the hearings or the voting?
Keep in mind, we have not seen the full transcript of the Zelensky call yet. Trump tells us to "Read the Transcript" but they will not release it. The only reason they would not release the transcript is because it has incriminating evidence in it that was left out of the "summary". The Zelensky affair cannot be fully understood without the full transcript of the call. We must demand it's release.
4
@sceptic
who cares, the President may withhold foreign aid for any reason, the President may investigate corruption or a potential crime even if it was Joe Biden who did the crime. the call is irrelevant. it is also illegal to spy on and leak Presidential phone calls as they are subject to executive privilege.
2
To qualify Trump's impeachment cause as " Abuse of power as president of the USA " is psychologically a bad move because it diminishes the power of the president of the USA .
The majority will think that the power of the president of the USA is never too abusive or never abusive enough .
It is in the American culture, that is historically abusive .
But to say that the president Trump has been weak to use the power of the USA in other interests and in a criminal way of perverting the power of the USA towards Foreign Affairs would have been more effective .
Justice has to name the crime to provide a judicial ending and a global social identification into a notion of intentionality.
If there is no intentionality in the crime appreciation ,then there is no recognition of a crime and no justice served .
To say that the power of the president of the USA is too strong is not going to work.
It is exactly the image that the majority wants.
That notion of Quid pro quo as an exchange was also very bad .
It does not mean that in latin.
In latin it means a confusion : to take something for what it is not .
Was it a missed hint ?
The metonymical confusion in the formula remains as a confusion in the act and into the impeaching process.
There was no confusion :manipulation and bribery with funds belonging to the Federal government of the USA. It is not HIS power or HIS money .
Abuse is an old French word whose meaning has been changed in the English language .It means to waste . No excess
Me? I’d put off sending over those papers to the Senate indefinitely. Let the stain of impeachment be permanent and deny Trump his “acquittal” unless and until the Senate agrees to assume its Constitutional responsibilities. Under McConnell’s so-called leadership, the Senate has regularly failed in that regard so it’s very unlikely that his behavior will change. So, let the historical record show that Trump was impeached and never acquitted. The McConnell Senate can share that stain forever.
5
to "delay" sending articles of impeachment to the Senate is to tacitly admit failure on the part of the House of Representative, they don't have a case for impeachment, never did, and are not likely to find one.
2
Here is a solution to Pelosi’s cold feet. The Senate must change its impeachment rules as follows.
Once the House has impeached the president, the Senate shall set a date for trial and shall set a deadline for the House to present its managers to the Senate.
If the House fails to meet that deadline, the Senate will either dismiss the articles of impeachment for lack of prosecution or, better yet, vote on the articles immediately in light of the evidence presented to it — in this case, no evidence.
3
Yes, perfect. Why let McConnell dictate the terms of the trial, when he's already made clear he'll not take the impeachment seriously? It's what he did with the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch. The impeachment stands on its own. Why bother with the Senate at all?
3
Crisis, catastrophe, calamity! If we allow Trump to stay in office the Republic is in grave danger! This is the rhetoric of that we have had to put up with from the professional politicians for weeks now. But, when it actually came down to getting something done, these same lifetime-in-office hacks found the time to adjourn and go home for a long holiday. I guess not missing a vacation or a junket is more important to them than saving the country.
5
I trust Pelosi, she knows what she is doing, she is a brilliant strategist who knows Washington like the back of her hand. It is impossible to know how this will play out. But if anyone can steer this process it is Pelosi.
I do believe she may be waiting Trump and McConnell out, letting them tantrum, and bully, and bluster. Similar to how you let 3 year old children cry it out, sometimes you get them to a calmer place where they have to take responsibility for their own behavior and actions, and start acting more mature and civilized in order to get the cookie.
Although I realize that is a tall order, as Trump has never experienced real discipline. He, like most 2 or 3 year old children hears the word 'No' as something to challenge, and the more he hears No the harder he pushes back holds his breath turns blue and throws all his toys on the floor. Just wait him out then make him clean up the mess.
And McConnell has Moscow oligarchies breathing down that neck, he wants that aluminum plant real bad (and you know there is a whole other Russia drama there!).
But still, Pelosi has the discipline, the wits, the experience and that powerful no nonsense Pelosi energy that can bring these men in line. I say we step aside and let the master lead. She will do the right thing. Stand back and watch and learn, boys.
5
I think Speaker Pelosi should indeed hold the articles of impeachment until after the next election. And we should all redouble our efforts to both retain the House and regain the Senate. After that, the Democrats in charge of the Senate will be able to put forth a fair trial with witnesses and documents. For the sake of the nation we MUST remove BOTH this rogue President and this rogue Senate majority leader.
3
I don't get it. I thought Trump was an existential threat to our democracy. Looks more like he is an existential threat to the Democratic Party. The two are not the same.
5
So glad that we have a representative democracy. My rep is a democrat and usually follows Speaker Pelosi's lead. All I have to do is vote for my rep and leave it with Nancy.
3
I am in agreement with those who feel the impeachment is a complete waste of time on the taxpayers' dime. What net benefit is there from the Democrats parroting a thousand times that Trump has committed hight crimes and misdemeanors when there is no basis or precedent to say that at all? The only people whose word means anything on that issue are Supreme Court justices. And all of this being strictly partisan with no hope of prevailing in the Republican-controlled Senate. What's the point when there is actual important work to be done?
3
Desperate times calls for desperate partisan politics. Having thrown in the towel for 2020, the Democrats now hope to keep the "guilty by insinuation" strategy going until November? Just watch yesterday's stock market (new record highs) and economic reaction to the so-called impeachment articles passed by solely Democrats in the House, and any informed American sees this as nothing more than another bad Saturday Night Live skit.
3
Let the Senators go on record violating their congressional duty of oversight, as required by the United States Constitution, enabling the continuing abuse of power from a man who is demonstrably unfit to hold the highest office of the land. Let history show the Republicans betraying their fellow countrymen.
2
Speaker Pelosi may be waiting to gauge the poll results. When the House voted to impeach President Clinton, his approval rating, according to Gallup, shot up 10 points to 73 percent. That was the highest of his presidency. By mid-February, the Senate trial was over.
Whatever her reasoning, this this tactic may make her the person most identified with the impeachment process: not Reps. Schiff or Nadler. Maybe that's the reason.
44
@KD It's hard to understand why the NYT would make this statement a pick. It contains a glaring falsehood. Trump's approval rating according to Gallup did not shoot up 10 points and it's no where near 73%. It remains well below 50% where it's been since he took office.
28
@Seldoc, KD was referring to President Clinton.
10
Said last night on Tucker's show, Nancy just pulled the pin on an hand grenade, and she doesn't know what to do now! If this is her style of leadership, she has failed miserably and completely. She has zero power over the Senate and all this posturing and delaying makes her out to look like a fool. Mitch is too polite to say what he really thinks, this whole charade is laughable.
3
Political ads featuring McConnell stating that he would not uphold the oath of impartiality in the impeachment hearing will play. Republicans at home may ask their ministers at church, "Is it fair for the Democrats to not give McConnell the chance to pass judgment on Trump after he was honest and told them that he was not going to be fair about it? Since he has said he would break the oath of impartiality, is it fair for the Democrats to deprive him of his freedom to do so?
7
McConnell delayed the appointment of Scalia’s replacement for a full year on the theory that voters should decide who gets to pick the next Supreme Court nominee. Can Pelosi delay the senate trial a full year to the next election? If Trump wins, voters will decide the composition of the senate that will try the case. If Trump loses, no trial is necessary. Just. Curious.
16
Exactly! Prevents a repeat of “no obstruction, no collusion”.
1
It would behoove the Democrats to emphasize two points during this appropriate delay. One is that if Hillary Clinton were President and had withheld $400 in aid from a country until it announced investigations into Ivanka Trump, would she not be impeached? Also, it should be made very clear that there are witnesses who have first-hand knowledge that are not testifying under oath. The President is blocking those witnesses who should theoretically be able to exonerate him from testifying. Both points need to sink in with the public. A third illuminating point that is coming out is that Trump focused on the Ukraine story because Putin told him the Ukraine was against his election and this was reinforced by Hungary's Orban; the aid promised to the Ukraine was specifically to deal with Russian aggression against them. Unfortunately for the President, all this paints a very guilty picture of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress despite the outcry of the GOP.
6
Pelosi and Schumer are absolutely right in their desire for a fair Senate trial but absolutely wrong in thinking they will get it. Just as McConnell made clear at the start of Obama's presidency that he would NEVER support any of Obama's legislation, so he now will remain inflexible about his refusal to call any witnesses who would provide direct evidence of Trump's crimes. Instead of letting this turning into a time-consuming standoff, which would only hurt Democrats, the trial in the Senate should be allowed to run its course quickly, even though it will be one of the biggest shams in history.
5
Excellent move by Pelosi .
Do not commit to "battle" until the battleground is known and openly established.
Rules and parameters of trial must be legal and clearly established with agreement to such on both sides.
Do not verbally commit to anything .
All agreements must be in writing, duly notarized and witnessed.
This is a trial - not a game.
6
Pelosi and Schumer are absolutely right in their desire for a fair Senate trial but absolutely wrong in thinking they will get it. Just as McConnell made clear at the start of Obama's presidency that he would NEVER support any of Obama's legislation, so he now will remain inflexible about his refusal to call any witnesses who would provide direct evidence of Trump's crimes. Instead of letting this turning into a time-consuming standoff, which would only hurt Democrats, the trial in the Senate should be allowed to run its course quickly, even though it will be one of the biggest shams in history.
6
The House should withhold more than Trump's Articles of Impeachment from the Senate. The House should not be giving Trump legislative victories. The House should also withhold from the Senate any money or other leverage they have to pressure the Senate.
9
@tony
The house needs to dis-appropriate all monies meant for the state of Kentucky. That will get his attention real quick. Obama should have played hard ball with this poor excuse for a human being and implemented a stage of closings of military bases, including all of the installations in the state of KY ad well as reviewed all federal monies benefiting that state. KY is smack dab in the middle between Canada and Mexico and needs no military bases there.
1
Democrats should have censured Trump and kept control of the entire process in the House. Now Senate Republicans get to write the final act of this inside the beltway drama.
15
It's hard to contemplate that Senate Majority Leader McConnell has not affirmed that he will take and abide by the oath he must swear, and call the witnesses requested by the Dems for a fair Impeachment Trial of the President, regardless of its outcome.
Yet McConnell is apparently amenable to accepting the Russian's $200 million aluminum plant in Kentucky, and terminating Russian sanctions there, which could possibly impair our national security.
Hypocrisy?
29
And the circus drags on. And why in the world does Pelosi think that by holding out she will force the Senate to give "fair process"? Not going to happen.
So after all the grandstanding, huffing and puffing on both sides of the aisle, this will end in a whimper.
No wonder the world laughs at the US which has become a third rate country.
20
@Phil
This goat rodeo doesn’t make us a third rate country. Petty bureaucrats, dysfunctional families, and corrupt local pols stealing the drainage and street money may do so.
Our system is set up to set the power hungry off against each other. While they are trying to out clown each other, we are safe from them. That is all part of the design. The free entertainment is just a side benefit.
it seems highly inappropriate to assume that Trump is innocent. Working for a highly respected publisher in Chicago, i was told "If your mother says it is true, check it out!" And that rings the bell here as well, Mr. President, let us check it out, bring forward your proof. And do not tell us it is " because I said so"
11
@Jeff Bryan Brilliant....guilty until proven innocent.
From the article: "Earlier in the day, [McConnell] delivered a blistering attack on Democrats, assailing their case as weak and 'shoddy work,' and promising that the Senate would 'put this right' by acquitting the president."
Senator McConnell: “'As of today, however, we remain at an impasse."
"Ms. Pelosi shot back: 'I don’t think anybody expected that we would have a rogue president and a rogue leader in the Senate at the same time.'"
If the media is looking for rogue actors, they need to look at the House Democratic leadership. These leaders are having a tough time letting go of the narrative. Nancy has eaten her cake but still wants it.
12
Make the senators do their jobs. If the people cannot impose their will on their senator then so be it. But make them take their oath and do their job.
6
Democrats...trapped in their own scam. Delighted. I’m going to be celebrating this Christmas until next Christmas !
14
The GOP Senate wants to acquit Trump without actually permitting any semblance of an actual trial. If permitted to do so, the 2020 presidential campaign theme will be that Trump and the GOP were cleared of wrongdoing, and it will suppress local arguments over who voted and how.
If no agreement is worked out, the election itself will be the trial, and it will be fought out in every district and state. The campaign theme will be "Just How Worn Out Are You By Trumpism?"
10
@Sequel the elections are what should have been done in the first place, not some kangaroo court.
Forget all this talk about a rock-solid base; as of this moment, Trump's presidency seems to be in one man's hands or at least those of 20 republican senators. Trump must really be sweating this one out. I wish I was a fly on the wall when the White House convenes a meeting with the Senators. Trump will be well behaved, that I can guarantee you.
4
@Takang He’s not sweating anything. The Senate will not impeach him.
I don't see why Democrats are so upset about these international politics. Democrats aren't going to lift a finger to shield Americans from the effects of international forced labor economies. If the Ukraine or Russia has better politicians, why can't we use their politics? Why is there a law that the President has to be a citizen, can't we hire illegal immigrants to be president? I know lets change the law so that it isn't actually illegal to be a foreign national as president, yeah lets just not enforce that one. That's what we want cheaper politicians.
4
Intriguing proposition. The top job in the US government is subject to discrimination based on national origin. To be President, you must have been born in the US. That is discrimination and it should be corrected. But I think illegal immigrants should not be allowed to be President of the United States.
1
The Democrat’s impeachment was fixed and the Republican controlled Senate trial is fixed. We are not stupid, we all knew this. So now the Democrats want American to hurry up and wait for the inevitable? What a colossal waste of my tax dollars it is to watch adults act like clowns in the do-nothing Congress.
18
@Scott K
Did you say the same about the TEN BenGazzi investigations? more than 100 MILLION spent by republicans who admitted they knew they'd find nothing but did it because they could.
6
Day 2: Trump impeached but Democrats fear sending articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial.
Professor Noah Feldman was one of two constitution scholars called by Democrats in support of impeachment. To my surprise, he had some harsh criticism of not forwarding the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
"If the House does not communicate its impeachment to the Senate, it hasn’t actually impeached the president. If the articles are not transmitted, Trump could legitimately say that he wasn’t truly impeached at all.
"That’s because 'impeachment' under the Constitution means the House sending its approved articles of to the Senate, with House managers standing up in the Senate and saying the president is impeached."
". . . we can say with some confidence that only the Senate is empowered to judge the fairness of its own trial – that’s what the 'sole power to try all impeachments' means."-- Noah Feldman, Bloomberg.com, December 19, 2019
11
@GWB
Impeachment is the VOTE, not the deliverance. No matter what you or any scholar argue.
It's like saying you weren't elected UNTIL you were sworn in.
3
@Moehoward
I believe what Professor Feldman (not I) argues is the situation is akin to a grand jury which votes but does not transmit either the bill or no bill of indictment to the prosecutors and the courts.
Pelosi has neither named the House managers (prosecutors) nor transmitted the articles of impeachment (bill of indictment) to the Senate (court). Therefore, the impeachment (indictment) is incomplete.
Especially from a scholar who argued for impeachment in testimony, Professor Feldman's view is highly intriguing.
Nancy should NOT deliver the impeachment papers to the Senate until the President releases his tax returns.
He has been impeached, yes; but he can NOT be acquitted until the Senate holds a "trial", eh?
The Constitution requires that impeachment shall go to the Senate; but it does not say when.
7
The Senate can set a trial date with 51 votes without Nancy's permission. The case managers' accommodations is a Senate rule.
8
The House determines impeachment. The Senate determines removal. It's that simple. Trump is impeached, for all time.
16
Pelosi is the shrewdest politician in Washington. She is going to come out ahead on impeachment.
I’m predicting something close to a fair trial in the Senate in spite of McConnell.
9
She hasn’t come out anywhere. Her wheelhouse. Ha ha ha. She’s spinning. And Trump is grinning.
6
As I understand it the Intelligence Committee has not ended its investigation. I saw an interview with Schiff in which he said that there was fresh information which he wasn't in a position to discuss in public.
Then there's Trump's tax returns. I believe that the Supreme Court will rule on this soon, Trump having lost consistently in lower Courts.
I simply don't see a need to go to the Senate now when the outcome has been made abundantly clear.
On a petty note I have seen Trump being quoted as wanting a quick trial. If that's what he wants, don't give it to him.
10
Now that they will be going to the Republican-led Senate for trial, maybe we should call them articles to "Repeal and Replace" Trump so that the GOP can get behind that label. (Though, judging by their recent history of incompetence, they'll probably fail to pull that off, once again.)
4
I would be OK with the Senate agreeing to a censure, a recognition that Constitution is our bottom line. But the path to auto-acquit? No. Play hardball.
The Senate, by ignoring the central problem that the President is using the office - Congressional funds, tax payer dollars, the State Department - to extort personal political gain from a foreign power, is setting a precedent. If they cannot admit that the Constitution is more important than job security, than their own self enrichment, and the ability to pander to the next lobbyist, the next religious or gun or tax fanatic, then they don't deserve to be there.
Let the impeachment hang.
10
It may seem obvious that McConnell is doing this to help Trump retain power. Why? There were/are other Republican candidates fit for office that might have cut taxes and appointed conservative justices. Is it only because a Pence in the WH would be so toxic? Why Trump and why such passionate support? Regardless, McConnell will retain his position in the Senate, but he risks his place in history. He just may loose his next election. Why do this? Is it ego or something else? He has already refused a President his right to nominate a Supreme Court Justice and forever changed THAT court. He refused other court nominees with glee. Therefore, the public has the right to know the "why" behind McConnell. Perhaps this delay will enable someone to find out the answer to that question.
8
@et.al.nyc
The Grim Reaper of our democracy wasn't too interested in looking into Russian interference before the 2016 election either.
It is a very surprising gambit that Pelosi has engaged, but the reasons are clear: McConnnell has all but said that the senate will not hold any semblance of a trial in the senate, just a move to acquit. The Constitution requires a trial in the senate and does not set a timetable for transmittance to that body. So Pelosi is within her rights to delay. The delay, and/or the reasons for this delay quite possibly might be the most fundamental constitutional crisis we have seen yet. After all, the Constitution offers no clear guidelines or requirements about what a Senate trial should look like and the McConnell has all but said that he is in full cooperation - some would say complicity - with the white house. I think it would be fantastic if Pelosi could arrange a transmittal of impeachment Articles to the Senate under escort by each of our able-bodied former Presidents. It can't be underestimated how much Americans respect Presidents after they have left office. It could be the kind of show-womanship the Speaker needs.
4
Delaying the trial in the Senate is psychological torture for Donald, pure and simple. He’s a man on the brink already. Speaker Pelosi can see right through that thin skin and into the abyss.
McConnell can posture about a delay being fine but he will bear the brunt of Donald’s rages, machinations, and the genius strategies that the House toadies likes Nunes, Jordan, Gaetz, Meadows, and McCarthy gin up while Donald is fretting, lashing out, and stewing at Mar A Lago. McConnell may have to agree to a basic framework that is mutually acceptable in order to move forward before Donald provides conclusive evidence for the world to see that he would benefit from inpatient psychiatric care.
Perhaps Speaker Pelosi has lashed Donald and McConnell together in a way that is unexpected for both of them. I cannot think of two people who deserve one another more and I hope that the descent is long and terrifying for them both.
18
Pelosi has absolutely no say in Senate impeachment proceedings. She had every opportunity to call witnesses (challenging executive privilege through the courts as our system is designed to work) and continues to abuse her congressional power.
12
I fail to see the wisdom of Pelosi's strategy here - first rush the impeachment process, then put the brakes on? Why give Republicans ammunition to slam her for such obvious political maneuvering, when aquittal in the Sentate is a foregone conclusion? I would think the best one could hope for is a moral victory in having gone through the impeachment motions, and it would be a bigger moral victory if the process was squeaky-clean from the Democratic side.
5
@Ola Aanjesen , I agree with your logic that a big moral victory is potentially lost by Pelosi's latest move. But I wonder if the Speaker would agree that a moral victory is sufficient. Perhaps the Speaker feels duty bound to ensure she has done everything in her power to protect and execute the Impeachment process. Since it is within her power to transmit Articles at a time of her choosing, she may feel duty bound to use that lever to ensure integrity of the process before her appointed managers hand off the Articles of Impeachment.
3
Speaker Pelosi has a point.
6
The transmittal should be delayed as long as McConnell does not agree to rules that are fair and will include the under oath testimony of relevant administration witnesses and disclosure of relevant government documents. Short of that Pelosi should withhold it until after the election next year. This will force Trump run as an impeached and disgraced candidate without senate acquittal.
7
This so much reminds me of the title of Drew Pearson’s column in the 1950s and later: “Washington Merry-Go-Round.” More and more it’s apparent that Pelosi’s initial instincts were correct: the D’s had more to lose than to gain from the impeachment process. Now she’s trying to figure out how to bring it to a graceful end. Meanwhile Trump's polling numbers are holding up. What a mess.
2
Love the tactic of having the whole business linger in the air over an extended holiday break. Democrats are bouyed, the debate last night filled with energy, people are enjoying the feeling of hopefulness and justice over the holiday. Let’s savor it for a while before the awful business of hearing Republican “arguments” begins again.
9
Great idea to use the impeachment as a leverage to a fair trial in the Senate. The American people have spoken already anyhow, through the House. If the Senate chooses to twist that judgment into one more favorable to its Republican Senators, well, then that is going to be in the history books, too. There is nothing Trump and his allies can win anymore, but one would assume that one or the other Republican of advanced age would want to come clean on the issue of honesty some time soon, before it is on their permanent obit record.
6
Let second world America have a third rate President.
I have no interest in living in a theocratic autocracy with a political system focused on the grievances of life’s permanent victims and how the circumstances and results of personal decisions are always someone else’s fault.
The bankruptcy of that culture is nearly complete and the continued subsidization of that economy only prevents the natural consequences of a low tax no service government and the education it could provide about the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship.
The rest of us could invest a lot more in our childcare and schools, housing, infrastructure, eldercare, jobs programs, and all those programs that promote a healthy civic culture and society that is forward looking and able to adapt to modernity.
Or we can keep letting failed America borrow on our credit card and blame us when their fantasy world view ends up in conflict with reality.
13
@William Mansfield
"I have no interest in living in a theocratic autocracy with a political system focused on the grievances of life’s permanent victims and how the circumstances and results of personal decisions are always someone else’s fault. "
Me too. The resentment of Trump's rally goers is the fuel of their cheers for Trump's speeches and catcalls against their fellow citizens. These people see Trump's campaign as their "getting even" with those whose education and life's choices put them in a better position than they find themselves.
3
Impeachment has not occurred. Until the articles are forwarded to the Senate, there is no impeachment; and that is according to the Democrats golden boy Noah Feldman.
12
Impeachment HAS occurred: it was approved by the House. He hasn’t yet been tried and convicted. These are two different things.
4
@Bob Guthrie You ARE wrong. Unless the Senate impeaches, and they won’t, this was a big waste of time. Trump will be re-elected.
Do democrats want Americans to think it was all a sham? They are certainly doing a good job of this.
14
You can't punch the bully in the nose and then say you don't want to fight. The time for cowardice is BEFORE that punch is thrown. If impeachment helps Trump, it helps him more if the Democrats don't follow through. Self-interested cowards on the Republican side of the House and Senate have enabled Trump and placed him in a dangerously powerful position. Democrats should not follow that same strategy.
2
Given a major shock to the U.S. it is apparent Trump would concentrate even more power and become a dictator. We can rest assured that the shock will come. Trump's tenure has further destabilized the Middle East and multiple other hotspots stretch limited U.S. capacity.
The challenge now is to remove Trump from the presidency before the shock hits and Trump with his unique personality gains the power to permanently change the political process in the U.S. to where Congress would become a rubber stamp and the president would rule rather than serve the American people.
I see a possible pathway: sell Trump on the idea that he is too big for the presidency. Avoid a Senate trial with testimony from Bolton, Pompeo and Mulvaney that could condemn Trump. Trump could resign. Not bound by the official trappings and restrictions of the presidency he could have the same adulation from his followers, make the same speeches to Make America Great Again, but get $100,000 + fees for each speech. Consider $100,000 per week as a side income with no emoluments clause restricting use of Trump facilities! Trump could have a plane called Trump One instead of Air Force One. This would all be possible if he headed a MAGA Movement rather than occupied the W.H. Trump's twitter account is his not the government’s. Smaller people like Mike Pence or “little Marco Rubio” could then run the presidency under his advice.
3
Hilarious. Democrats from swing districts going home for the holiday to get an earful about wasting time. I will not be surprised if after the holidays the House never sends its ill-conceived work product to the Senate.
10
It’s a basic civics lesson for America, now we can all read the 6th Amendment as well.
I am really annoyed with all these House Dems telling me what the founders were thinking, I have read what they wrote many times, each word was carefully crafted, there is no ambiguity.
They had to, this was way before keyboards and ball point pens
I was particularly annoyed by the Congresswoman who claimed she only listens to her son, who told her to impeach 6 weeks before said phone call. Beautiful
So 230 crazed, angry Congressmen, and somebody’s kid want to negate my vote? The remedy is an election which is not very far off. And oh, BTW, good luck on that one. The longer Nancy “Queen of Hearts” drags this on, the more donations flood into team Trump
9
@hawk
"I was particularly annoyed by the Congresswoman who claimed she only listens to her son, who told her to impeach 6 weeks before said phone call."
That's a LIE promoted by Lesko, that trembling woman who can barely speak.
Progressives will now cheer on another tactical mistake. They never fail to get it wrong.
14
“I just met with the president, and he is demanding his day in court,” Mr. Graham said on Fox News.
Reason enough to delay.
15
Perhaps the time has come to also open an impeachment inquiry into McConnell, and Graham, and others. They appear to enjoy their muddling in the muck, and grunting like happy piglets, that they: a) won't even read the charges, and b) will whatever the facts are, aquit.
However, they are not upholding their constitutional duty to hold an unbiased Senate trial. Any juror with a clear prior statement to give the defendant a pass, -refusing even to see the evidence-, would be dismissed immediately.
Moreover, if the Senators act as a jury, the prior reaching out to the White House to tandem up to falter the case is a gross case of jury misconduct.
Time to hold the whole lot accountable for their mockery of the constitution.
12
Pelosi is a wreck. She has mishandled this entire process and become the laughing stock of any reasonably objective observer. Now to be complaining the Senate will might not provide a "fair" trial after what the House provided is beyond ironic....but shows total lack of any political judgement. No wonder so many were against appointing her Speaker.
7
When Senators who will act as jurors in the trial of President Trump publicly proclaim they don’t consider themselves impartial jurors and are eager to acquit and move on, there’s plenty of reason to stop and demand a fair trial.
Stay the course, Madam Speaker.
6
Methinks you do doth protest too much. I’m a reasonably objective person, educated in civics (something Donald never excelled in; did he even take the class?), prone to pragmatism, and I see a calm, smart, professional woman (a woman!) beating Trump at his own game, with the tools given to her by the Constitution, whereas Trump uses every mob tactic in the Mafia book. His pal, Giuliani, the one who supposedly does Trump’s dirty work now out of “love”, used to put people like Trump in jail.
3
Please, Kentucky.
Vote out the person who has stood, stands, and will continue to stand as the greatest threat to American democracy in government.
Yes, McConnell is far more dangerous than Trump and far, far cannier and more diabolical.
Please, Kentucky...
27
Pelosi's "tactic" shows that impeachment was nothing more than a stint from the beginning. If she truly thought that Trump should be impeached then she would proceed expeditiously.
5
Ms. Pelosi, you’re quite Cary yourself.
When McConnel blocked consideration of a Supreme Court Justice for a year, it was a lesson in raw political power. This parallels that, a deft move that denies Trump the ability to monopolize the debate for five to six weeks.
The icing on the cake comes when he loses the election next November, then she sends the articles of impeachment over to the Senate the next day, certain it gets recorded in history.
I know we need to heal the country but...
Touche’.
12
It’s certainly not fine with McConell. He has Trump breathing down his neck on the other side to be cleared.
And, he and Trump are also worried more evidence may come to light or other changes could happen.
Trump and McConell want it all swept under the rug as fast as possible cause the environment could change negatively for them. Already the evangelical magazine has come out against Trump. Who knows what could be brewing.
18
there is absolutely no reason for pelosi to ever send the impeachment charges to the senate because then trump wins. another first for trump. first president the house voted to impeach with charges never sent to the senate.
3
Send Article 2 to the Senate, and let them debate whether or not they agree with being obstructed. Let them call Adam Schiff as a witness to help explain the rather evident and elementary obstructive acts to them. Let them call Hunter Biden as a witness as he has nothing to do whatsoever with obstructing congress, even if Burisma happened to give him millions and millions for abusing crack cocaine, or whatever distractions they care to throw around -- they won't make much sense in an obstruction case. In short let them do what's proper, or let them embarrass themselves in front of voters who are not so rigidly gerrymandered as in congressional districts.
But keep Article 1 in reserve. Wait for the Supreme Court clarify the legality of Bolton's and co.'s subpoenas, and bring them with their further evidence of abuse of power, to testify before the House, extensively and under the eye of an increasingly aware electorate (curiosity piqued of course by the complaints of Republicans), before deciding to send Article 1 the senate.
11
This entire spectical is right out of a John LeCarre book. And the entire process seems to have one author. This seems totally off a teleprompt deviously Scripted. Imagine the penetrating audacity and skill if this is true. We need all the players to testify under oath. I believe Bolton will answer a subpoena issued by the Senate with or without executive clearance. That's why Trump says it's up to the 51 votes to decide the shape of the trial not him. He knows that the Senate can't cross him. That could be his undoing. The Democrats have got to learn that the only way to take on intransigence is with greater Intransience. McConnell wants to taunt the Dems and dismiss them like a fly on his sandwhich. Well it seems Nancy has figured it out. Firm. All the while the Democratic nonimnees decide just how much more of our economy needs to have direct government control and taxation. But you look at their plans and yup while there is a wealth tax oops why is that kicking in at 250k and I need to live in the high rent district well because that's where my job is....Pelosi for president.
5
She knows what she's doing.
23
No she doesn’t. She’s trapped because if she proceeds the process to the Senate, Trump will be quickly acquitted. If the Impeachment remains just that, Trump will say this is a purely politically motivated act because the vote was nearly exactly along party lines. The only defectors were Democrats, not Republicans, to the other side.
This is why she did initially did not want to go forward with impeachment. She dug her own grave and can’t get out. She did this to help a Democrat win the election. Now Trump will still win the election despite being impeached (and subsequently acquitted).
Embarrassing!
11
What? You mean Trump is not going to be represented by his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani?
12
Let’s go Mitch. Nancy is calling your bluff.
High stakes poker, and your imminent
future is in the balance Mitch. Throw
your trump card.
11
The Democrats have managed, with great effort, to become utter buffoons. First, they hand the investigation to Adam Schiff who turns what should be a serious investigation into a witch hunt with no pretense of objectivity and, in the course of which, establishes that he is a serial liar. They then turn the hearing over to Jerry Nadler who calls no witnesses and falls asleep at every opportunity. Then after voting to impeach on specious grounds refuse to file the charges with the Senate were Schumer demands that they call witnesses never called by the House. Then in the ultimate spoof a number of Democrats claim that not cooperating with the Democrats is evidence of guilt by Trump.
25
When should Speaker Pelosi send the articles of impeachment to the Senate?
NEVER!!!
We don't want Trump impeached and then exonerated. We want him impeached without any possibility of ever being exonerated. Exonerating such an obviously-guilty party would be a complete travesty of justice.
If Trump is ever exonerated, even by a kangaroo court in the Senate, he'll become a tornado of destruction that will leave the country is shambles and chaos. He's nearly done it already.
16
@NY Times Fan
So, why vote to impeach if one is not going to follow through with a Senate trial? As required by the Constitution.
Reminder - every trial in a free nation allows the accused to make a case for a Not Guilty verdict.
3
But not to refuse to comply with subpoenas -- and compel others to do so as well.
4
Hold those cards, Nancy Pelosi! Don't listen to Schumer's defeatist and wrong advice (he's ready to cave). Refuse absolutely to send those articles of impeachment! Let Trump stew and fuss and bluster! This is perfect leverage to keep the Republicans guessing and off-balance, and is the only way to keep Mitch McConnell from a phony, rigged, perfunctory and inadequate hearing of the evidence. Get guarantees on the testimony of all who have been implicated, and an assurance of fair and thorough process. Can't get the guarantees? Then don't ever send the articles.
17
Then why do the impeachment? The house vote was equally rigged, nearly along party lines except for one defecting Democrat. Nancy dug her own hole. In an effort to unseat Trump, she started a dead end process, endangered house members in Trump districts and may help a now impeached President (who will be acquitted) retain the White House.
If the Democrats had better candidates, there would be no reason for impeachment. The problem is that they don’t.
5
I would like to wake up just one day before I die and see that the headlines of the New York Times have nothing to do with our divided, muddled, and untrustworthy government. I would like to wake up and see that the people of the United States have decided to make a concerted effort to improve the world despite these so called "leaders" we have elected. I would like to wake up and see that the people have banded together and just ignored the government, taken matters into their own hands, and started showing the world what Democracy really means.
7
Who has had both ways?
Release the subpoenaed witnesses, documents, and your tax report to enhance the credibility of your criticisms.
11
The US Media continues its practice of repeating & playing up all the Lies of Donald Trump & his ilk Mitch McConnel, Lindsay Graham et al. The muted mentions of the Truth, sandwiched between long recitations of Trump’s pungent Lies, are hopelessly lost. So the Reader is left only with Trump’s obnoxious claims. This is the worst case scenario for survival of American democracy.
5
Why do I get the feeling that impeachment was all for nothing???
11
Because it was for nothing.
Trump can still win and retain the White House. Nothing has really changed except for the label. Trump can always point back to the Muller investigation conclusion and say he did nothing. The Trump supporters and GOP base will be super riled up and more determined to vote for Trump.
Nice job Nancy. You just did what you were initially reluctant to do.
5
@sharon5101
Because it was. Pelosi was never really for impeachment.
1
Trump isn't leading this country. McConnell is. Trump should fire him.
5
The self destructing Democrats are adding more nails to their coffin. This rushed vote in the House on 2 weakened articles of impeachment garnered zero Republican vote s and through the hearings saw Trump’s approval numbers rise. It was more a show for the hardcore Democratic base (NYT readers/MSNBC viewers) to enjoy. To the rest off the country this has become an infuriating waste of our elected officials time, following two years of Russia collusion guilt before innocent charges, and distracting them from working on infrastructure, health care, immigration and more. They will pay the price next November.
21
Wow. I just read another article on the Times on impeachment which blew my mind. I have studiously avoided criticizing the politics of evangelical Christians, instead criticizing conservative Christians. It seems to have been the right move, because an evangelical Christian group, Christianity Today, is endorsing impeachment. Thank you for your integrity!
10
The Democrats have lacked credibility from the start on this. Democrats have been screaming for impeachment, looking for any reason to discredit Trump's election, and carping about some sort of "resistance" since the day he was elected. By doing so, they have ultimately cheapened the entire process of impeachment. To withhold transmitting the articles of impeachment now because they want to reach across the wall that should separate house from senate and influence the contours of the trial just looks pathetic. Send the articles over. If voters ultimately believe that the senate failed in its duty, well, it's an election year and they will have their say in November.
15
The Democrats laid another egg. This farce will convince voters that the Democrats should not be in charge of anything. The stock market closed at 28,376 and the unemployment is at a 50 year low and the Democrats want to get back into power so they can have their war on prosperity. The only solution is to vote every Democrat out of office. Vote for America—Vote Republican.
21
It's obvious that the Republican Senate will rubber-stamp an acquittal without the pretense of anything that looks like a trial. The House has made the prima facie case for a trial and that has ended in a two count impeachment. And that's where it should end. The House leadership should immediately commencing more investigations and to fill the gaps that the Muller report and the House investigations missed, such as interviews with the principles, including the president and his son, and the resolution of law suits that blocked Muller and the House investigations.
Trump wants an immediate trial and a victory lap, courtesy of a corrupt and compliant Republican Senate. Don't give him the satisfaction.
Let him face the voters in November without an acquittal.
8
Pelosi should withhold the impeachment articles as long as possible if Mitch won’t take them seriously. She should drop them right before the election when they would do the most damage and make Mitch guffaw and chortle until he breaks into tiny little pieces.
10
@MsB
Accused persons have to be allowed to make a case for their innocence, in the legal system of a free enlightened nation.
Allow the trial to proceed!
Send those Articles. Now!
3
@Yossarian-33
...unless you are poor and cannot make bail while dealing with a back logged justice system.
1
The Democrats should listen more carefully to all the constitutionnel experts including Jonathan Turley. They have rushed the process and now they are having to delay sending the articles to the Senate. The whole impeachment process was and maybe still an opportunity to présent to the voting public a litany of Trump's performance since his élection. If that doesn't convince voters that Trump is a criminal bent on destroying democracy in the US, then the American people desserve what they get.
5
When the Senate "trial" is already fixed by Republicans, who admitted publicly that they have no interest in a fair process, why should the Democrats give them the Impeachment Resolution? Republicans have zero interest in the rule of law containing Donald Trump. He is now the Republican Party and they are in thrall to him completely. With his daily outrages, tweet storms, tantrums, and his base in cult-like obeisance to his every pronouncement, the Dems have to stand their ground. They are literally the only thing keeping our democracy from falling apart as the Republican Party has no real independence, and Dems, for all their faults, know that they are still an independent and co-equal branch of government. McConnell thinks he's in control, but he is just a tool of this new dynamic. He can't allow any daylight to appear between him and Donald Trump. He is a sycophant, an opportunist, and a political slave to this new, and dangerous element in American society. The Republicans created the toxic atmosphere that gave birth to Trumpism, they will reap the whirlwind. But we all have to hang on to our hats, our hearts, and our values.
13
It is time to keep sending the result to Senate for some forseeable future. Why should Dems always do proper steps and behave accommodating?
Kids are getting out of school for two weeks. Congress is leaving town for Christmas. What's "politically risky" about celebrating a religious holiday at home with your family? Give it a rest on the political speculation.
5
I think Bloomberg and or Steyer should use some of their billions to run commercials featuring McConnell and Graham stating that they do not intend to be impartial jurors.
Most everyone (even, I assume, modern day Republicans) knows that this is wrong. Let them entertain the electorate with those sound bites for a few weeks. End commercials with a question, e.g.:
“If your intoxicated boss had run over and killed your five year old, would it be acceptable to you that potential jurors who openly stated he should be acquitted, be empaneled?
10
Mitch McConnel's hypocrisy is stunning: the same man who prevented Obama's supreme court nominee from getting a fair hearing now contends that the Dems impeachment is "weak" yet will not allow calling witnesses who had direct knowledge of Trump's actions and intentions. If this is a "weak" case, why not allow testimony from these witnesses? On the day of his impeachment Trump cannot help himself: he mocks the late Rep. Dingell and his wife and continues to present himself as a victim when all his problems are self-inflicted. I applaud Pelosi's move. The Dems need to take this case to the public by raising the question: if Trump is innocent why is denying subpoenas and document requests?
8
What comes out of the mouths of our republican congressmen these days beggars belief. It’s just plain hard to describe the staggering scope of puerile hypocrisy and bombastic disingenuousness on display. I was talking about this with my wife the other day and she suggested that maybe we just need some new words. I think she’s on to something, so I’m proposing a couple new verbs for your consideration:
To lindseygraham means to shamelessly and boastfully, and with great indignation, take a position diametrically opposed to one you proclaimed before, “as a matter of principle.”
To mcconnell is to blithely and proudly ignore performing the responsibilities of a position or office you may hold in the public trust, in contravention of law, custom or tradition.
12
Impeaching the President was the right thing to do. Whether you like him or hate him is irrelevant. He broke the law. If you are bored by these shenanigans get over it. It isn't an episode on a TV show, it isn't a trivial pantomime, it is very serious business, and if you want to participate in the action, start writing your congresspeople, attend some rallies. If you brush it off as a yawner and a bore, you stand to lose much more than some prime time viewing. The Democracy really is at stake.
13
Wow! According to the NYT, CNN and all News outlets the Mueller investigation found no evidence of collusion and insufficient evidence for obstruction of justice. While he was not exonerated, Trump was not found guilty of any crimes.
So what “crimes” are you talking about? Crime of not releasing tax records or wanting to run for re-election?
Pelosi made a tactical mistake. She already regrets pushing forward with the impeachment that will go nowhere. The House vote was along party lines except for one Democratic defector. The Senate vote will be the same resulting in an acquittal. The whole process will be viewed as political and will endanger Democratic legislators in Trump districts. It will also rule up the Trump supporters and GOP base. The Dems also have a VERY WEAK field that both Bloomberg and secretly Pelosi acknowledge. Otherwise, neither would be doing what they did.
3
Grow up, everyone! This impeachment process has been a partisan exercise since it began. We have an impolitic president who infuriates some and delights others, and there is no referee.
The real issue is that the party on the left wishes to transform this country, economically, socially, politically, culturally, and racially, without regard to the Constitution, and without opposition. The party on the right is determined not to let this happen. Let us have an open, uncensored,
national discussion.
7
Pelosi absolutely outmanouvered McConnell on this one. McConnell and Graham overplayed their hand, and Pelosi called their bluff.
I imagine the senator must be pretty shaken, to be so totally outclassed by such a superior, more authoritative parliamentarian.
There is no reason for Democrats to docilely submit to an openly unfair, explictly rigged, hyperpartisan trial. It's time for the Democrats to show their strength, and that of the citizens they represent. If the GOP can't commit to a fair and bipartisan trial, let them stew.
There's no reason to rush into a kangaroo court. Just go home for the holidays and try again next year. After McConnell agrees to call witnesses and after he and Lindsay Graham recuse themselves for open bias, then America can move forward. In the meantime, Trump remains impeached and unacquited.
13
A delay may be “fine” with McConnell, but it won’t be for Trump.
That might be as close to a vote to remove Trump as McConnell gets.
2
The House Democrats might up the ante by holding hearings on whether some Trump officials like Education Secretary DeVos have faithfully executed the law requiring reduction of student debt with respect to worthless for profit college degrees. The Times has reported that she has not. And whether the EPA Administrator has allowed industry to poison the land, water and air in McConnell's Kentucky.
7
As I has stated in an earlier comment, the best course for Speaker Pelosi was to publish the Impeachment Inquiry and move on. However, by proceeding with this one sided Impeachment Pelosi & the Democrats only have earned infamy and laughter all over the Country and the World. Trump on the contrary is being treated as a victim.
Instead of delaying Impeachment Articles, Speaker Pelosi should send them to the Senate for a quick trial with already known outcome. History will decide how she will be judged and remembered.
3
As I has stated in an earlier comment, the best course for Speaker Pelosi was to publish the Impeachment Inquiry and move on. However, by proceeding with this one sided Impeachment Pelosi & the Democrats only have earned infamy and laughter all over the Country and the World. Trump on the contrary is being treated as a victim.
Instead of delaying Impeachment Articles, Speaker Pelosi should send them to the Senate for a quick trial with already known outcome. History will decide how she will be judged and remembered.
2
I really like this idea. Trump gets the indelible stain of impeachment; and it robs Republicans of whitewashing that. And it gives the House some (limited) short-term leverage, which will only increase as the election looms...then it transforms into an insurance policy in case Trump gets re-elected and the Dems win back the Senate. It also might teach McConnell a lesson about delaying process until after an election; quite deservedly so! I bet Trump resigns with a looming removal from office.
9
It's really stunning to see major media analyses that worry about Democrats "politicizing" impeachment because they happen to think that the Senate should conduct a fair and legitimate trial. Why isn't the question reporters ask why Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, David Perdue, and others in the Senate are saying they are not "impartial jurors" and want to conduct a procedure where they have already decided on the outcome? Do they not even want the appearance of justice and fairness? Do they take their oath of office seriously? Please, why isn't the handwringing question about the distortion of justice by the Senate? Why should Speaker Pelosi send forward an indictment to a court that has said has already determined the outcome? This is Mitch McConnell that withheld a Supreme Court nominee for political reasons, that is stacking the courts with ideologues, that will not take to a Senate vote the hundreds of bills passed by the House in the last 2 years? Why don't you ask this question: What is wrong with the Senate majority that they do not respect the system they swore an oath to defend?
11
It’s not enough to remove or defeat Trump. Mitch must also be defeated.
9
It's a righteous hardball move, denying the Senate their day of whitewash. The problem is the Democrats are not good at shaping a hardball campaign before the public. The Republicans really have that down, with the fighting declarations (true or false) and the fake outrage. They do it so well. The Democrats are good at looking as if they know the rules, and explaining their position to people who care about such things (Democrats and some independents).
1
If Pelosi withholds the articles, what exactly will Republicans do?
Demand the she send them over when they don't even want a trial?
Sue in court when they don't even want a trial?
Will Trump start tweeting that she SHOULD send them over?
(Do you imagine Trump saying "I demand that my impeachment trial start right away!")
MAYBE the Republicans lose some independent voters by refusing to do their Constitutional duty, but all they need to is to hold the Senate to block everything they don't like, and they can probably still do that without a handful of disenchanted independents, or even with Trump!
Does it really matter to Trump or the Republicans that a slight majority of the public will blame them for the impeachment process not going forward?
Best one of all: can you imagine FOX NEWS demanding that the articles be sent over and the impeachment trial can go forwards?
5
In not having been forwarded a single document, nor been allowed to hear testimony from direct key witnesses by Trump on his bribery and withholding of military aid from Ukraine for the House's Impeachment Inquiry; both House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer have the right to withhold for now from going to the Senate, the two Articles Trump had been impeached on; until a fair Senate trial in rules would be granted them in written agreement by Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell to also satisfy those unfilled needs.
That right for a fair trial (for both sides) for Trump's possible removal from office, came with Trump having been impeached, as per The Constitution. That despite this president acting above the law as a Dictator.
If not possible, then Impeachment today is a meaningless means in The Constitution to possibly lead to the ousting of a runaway lawless president; unlike when initially passed ages ago through James Madison's suggestion to lawmakers.
McConnell has already stated publicly he would not extend a fair trial to House Democrats, but rather do his best to have Trump receive a quick acquittal, as per his wish. That would be in violation of McConnell's oath to be taken at the start of the trial on the Senate floor, as all Senators must first do.
Even greater unfairly and unlawfully, it would be as if McConnell's conducted Senate trial against Trump would then be held as if Trump is a member of McConnell's own defense team.
5
Justice delayed is justice denied. Not only is that true of judicial review for ordinary people, it’s especially true for impeaching a President or other high official. Pelosi’ s delay is unjust to Trump as well as to this country. We need to end this gridlock in government. To quote the late Marvin Gaye, “Let’s get it on,’ and get it behind us.
3
I see a lot of white nationalism behind the curtain in all this blood sport when objective, reasonable due process and justice should be served one way or the other in decision making. This does not play well overseas for American democracy. At least the internet gives a forum for the masses to write and release individual fatigue and anxiety with having a person with the moral code of Donald J Trump in the Presidency. Which is the bigger brand, the US Presidency or Donald J Trump? Are we to a place we have to postulate that question as a valid one? We seem to have White Nationalism in this administration who are finding a lot of support from one of the two biggest political parties making up our democracy. Trump is the store front window, the real goods are behind the window inside the store.
4
Maybe it’s a good thing that Trump will get re-elected. Perhaps this will eventually bring younger and more capable leader for Dems in the House. How much more can we go through same thing over and over.
2
People keep on commenting that Roberts would have no authority and can be overridden by a majority vote. This is just not a fact no matter how many times it's repeated.
The Constitution says "The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside." Note that it does not define what "preside" means.
And do you know which branch of the government is responsible for interpreting the Constitution? That's right: the Supreme Court. So if Roberts rules he has the right to decide whether or not witnesses can be called by the House managers or anything else a presiding judge might normally do, who is going to say he's wrong?
5
Ever since Trump took office the Establishment has tried to find ways to get him out of power. I am shocked by the support I read in these comments. If the case the House is good enough to vote yeh, then give it to the Senate. If not then why are they voting for impeachment. This is undermining the Constitution this country is based on. And no I am not a Trump supporter but I have watched this dog and pony show since the last election.
4