There are many more sinister things taking place! On that we agree.
I do understand Feldman’s point. And I even agree to a point. But it feels like hair splitting. I am no lawyer. But my plain reading of the Constitution is that a POTUS is impeached when so voted by the House, and removed if convicted in the Senate.
No matter what, it will be argued both ways now and in the future because no House has ever been so callous about impeachment in the past. Ultimately I think they will have to file the articles in the Senate just because they will look even worse than they do now if they don’t - including by many in their own party.
> “I do understand Feldman’s point. And I even agree to a point. But it feels like hair splitting”
To most Americans it seens like splitting hairs but to lawyers and officials holding power, it is a critical point that allows then to pivot power to create momentum towards a planned destination.
You see, with Pelosi trying to game the system (she’s doing it to buy time for rough guys to lean on targets), Feldman is signaling to her that McConnell can set a DEADLINE and declare impeachment ‘aduentum mortuis’ or dead on arrival. McConnell can then get the Senate to nullify and void Pelosi’s impeachment articles.
The Democrats are trying to say “but we need more witnesses!” and as Dan Bongino brilliantly summarizes, they have voted two articles of impeachment and yet they are not done with voing for impeachment? What?
So McConnell can take the published articles of impeachment and set a DEADLINE for a formal delivery by the House to the Senate. If the deadline is not met, the articles are dead.
Some Democrats say but we can impeach him as many times as necessary.
McConnell said in his excellent floor speech that the Democrats have actually tried before to impeach him and this is the 7th attempt where a vote actually passed on two flimsy meritless partisan articles that are unconstitutional on their face.
But Democrats have a plan, and HOW THEY THINK is they need time to ‘lean’ on compromised GOP Senators (Sen. Ratcliff says there are compromised GOP Senators but doesn’t directly name them but one for is likely Sen. Burr. I don’t like to say that but Sen. Burr may be one of the 20 they need to convict. Let’s pray there won’t be 20 or more.).
Ok, now before we get all panicked about this scenario of what Democrats are up to, we should be calmed by the fact that this won’t likely happen, that POTUS’s people are not sitting back waiting for the Democrat’s next move.
The next move was circulated by CBS that POTUS is considering he is NOT IMPEACHED if the articles are not delivered to the Senate and POTUS’s lawyers are following up with McConnell to plan a deadline on the articles and a procedure to dismiss, acquit, or nullify and void them.
“POTUS is impeached when so voted by the House, and removed if convicted in the Senate.”
The house basically hands the
senate an indictment. The senate
then votes to acquit, impeach
with removal, or impeach without
removal. The house argues the
case (using managers). The senate
then votes on which action to take,
based on the argument. (articles).
With Pelosi’s refusal to submit
the articles to the senate,
Trump has not been impeached.