Republicans discuss a longer Senate impeachment trial to scramble Democratic primaries

Washington Post ^ | Nov 13, 2019 | By Robert Costa, Michael Scherer and Seung Min Kim

[11th_VA]

Some Republican senators and their advisers are privately discussing whether to pressure GOP leaders to stage a lengthy impeachment trial beginning in January to scramble the Democratic presidential race — potentially keeping six contenders in Washington until the eve of the Iowa caucuses or longer.

Those conversations about the timing and framework for a trial remain fluid and closely held, according to more than a dozen participants in the discussions. But the deliberations come as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) faces pressure from conservative activists to swat back at Democrats as public impeachment hearings began this week in the House...

[Founding Father]

Pence is irrelevant in a Senate trial. John Roberts (chief traitor) presides. Pence has no roll since he has an obvious conflict.

[JoSixChip]

You don't think that the president has Due Process constitutional rights?

Due Process is not a license to peruse any investigation you want. For example a guy charged with jay walking can not investigate his neighbor for extortion in his jay walking trial. mcconnell is not going to give Trump a unrestricted license to investigate anything he wants. mcconnell will make Trump focus on the actual articles of impeachment. Kinda like schifft saying the whistle blower does not need to testify because he is not being used as evidence.

[867V309]

mcconnell will not allow that to happen. I keep seeing people say that Trump will be able to call anyone he want and ask them about anything. Not true, mcconnell will make Trump focus and the actual articles of impeachment. Trump will be lucky if he can bring up biden at all.

talkin' out your butt.

The trial itself would necessarily be a multistage affair. Impeachment managers for the House, acting essentially as prosecutors, would present their case to the Senate and the nation in an organized fashion over a couple of weeks. The chief justice would then provide White House defense counsel with an equal opportunity to rebut the charges;

in other words roberts runs the trial; the only way for mcconnell to interfere is to change the senate rules: unlikely since it would require democrat votes, not politically viable for mcconnell.

[Equine1952]

Schifftzhead is a material witness too. If you shake a tree hard enough no telling what’ll fallout. This coup attempt runs deep and there are ways the GOP could warm it up if they’d use them. Gets warm enough Nasty will shut it down.

[JoSixChip]

Don’t let it get this far folks, it’s a trap. The senate is corrupt.

True, but they are in a difficult position here. If they remove Trump, the repubs will be decimated in the next few election, if the party survives at all. But then again, it all depends on how many of them have been on the take like biden. It may be better for them to lose then to be found out.

[lurk]

This show trial is also showcasing the up and coming gop movers. Ratcliff, Jordan, Stefanik and Stewart just elevated their brand for bigger things.

[JoSixChip]

The chief justice would then provide White House defense counsel with an equal opportunity to rebut the charges

You just made my case. Rebut the charges, not investigate anything he wants.

[JoSixChip]

Add to my previous post. The senate majority leader and the minority leader have to get together and make the rules before the trial. That is where mcconnell will screw Trump.

[Oklahoma]

Boy, you are just a fountain of optimism.

The majority of the US Senate will “dictate” to the Chief Justice how the trial will be conducted, just like when Clinton was tried. If the majority wants witnesses called they can call them. Any witness. It doesn’t matter what the House thinks.

[867V309]

That is where mcconnell will screw Trump.

I'm no fan of mitch but he has been instrumental in passing federal judgeships.     a record number of them.

and I know you believe "mcconnell will screw Trump" but you have no proof.

I agree to disagree with you.

[laplata]

“the senate trial is a golden opportunity to put nancy’s circus under a microscope”

Of course it is. There would be tons of discovery and the Rats don’t want any discovery.

From what I’ve seen, the whistleblower has ties to Biden. If that’s the case, SHTF.

[Equine1952]

There’s an election coming, Trumps approval numbers are hovering around 50% and Mitch is running too. If it gets that far with senators going for relection. Nasty may suspend Schifftzhead’s circus citing campaign season. To be taken up later. They have their little HOR show and get the mileage they can and say we’re not done yet. If that happens the DOJ will not do crap. I think the IG report and Durham’s investigation is pushing this whole thing too. Ruth Buzzie passing will take the brakes off. IMO.

[flamberge]

You don't think that the president has Due Process constitutional rights?

Not in an impeachment trial. This is not a court of law as we imagine such and is not bound by any rules of evidence or due process. It is a strictly political affair and can use any rules that the Senate wishes.

The best rule they could adopt is to immediately dismiss all charges as unfounded and irrelevant. As in "these charges do not rise to the level of high crimes or misdemeanors". End of story.

If they do conduct a "trial", the longer it runs, the greater the chance they will vote to remove President Trump. The Senate is as corrupt as the House and too many Republicans still want to keep the gravy train running for themselves. They will make deals with the Democrats if they think they can keep it quiet. Hence the trial balloons about a "secret ballot" for the impeachment.

But if the promised payouts are big enough, the Republicans will betray President Trump quite openly with the thinnest of legal pretenses. They actually believe they could collect what they are being promised.

In the event of a conviction, I would expect Civil War II to go hot immediately.

[867V309]

There would be tons of discovery and the Rats don’t want any discovery.

discovery is the concept I tried to show to JoSixChip, but couldn't remember the term.    thank you.

frankly, I'm amazed they're willing to open this can of worms, it reeks of desperation.          even with the msm on their side, when the inspector general report is released this could turn into a real schiff-storm.

[laplata]

You’re welcome and your certainly right about this turning into a Schiff storm. It’s going to have huge waves.

[Wm F Buckley Republican]

Exactly, I do not fear a lengthy trial in the Senate. It is an opportunity to expose Democrat corruption.

[canuck_conservative]

A Senator (i.e. juror), that misses any of the trial will not be allowed to vote (just like a real trial)

That could work both ways .. what if a Republican Senator misses 1 day because of illness?

Democrats could pick off Republican votes this way ... I could see Dem activists with bad colds deliberately coughing all over Repub Senators to make them sick ... voila, miss just one day, and Repub's have one less vote

Besides, it's not necessary - Dems have already painted themselves into a corner, by using extreme language like "the most serious crisis the country has ever faced" and "it's our duty to investigate these serious charges" - they HAVE to attend now or their words will look empty ... yes the voters will notice

[Liz]

Betcha dollars to donuts Nanzi’s giving Schiff a good ***kicking after the hearing fiasco.

She’s looking a Dem approval numbers sinking into unfathomable Swamp waters.

Then the Dem donors weigh in——and the checks stop.

Worst of all, crown prince Biden is hauled off the presidential stage.

Dems get stuck with a butt-loving homosexual candidate hoping Nancy will give him a dose of what she gave Schiff.

[Founding Father]

No, if pubbies are going to miss you just cancel for the day.

[trebb]

Perhaps this is a part of the reason for Mitch’s comments on there having to be a trial that folks seem to be getting so bent about...kind of a ‘quid pro quo’ where the dems try to screw with 2020 and the Senate shoves it back at them...

Signed,
Ever Hopeful