Posted on 12/22/2019 7:37:08 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Senators from both sides of the aisle appeared optimistic Sunday a deal would be reached by party leaders to hold an impeachment trial in the Senate once lawmakers return after the holidays.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer failed to reach a negotiation last week over the rules and procedures for the likely trial, with Democrats demanding the chamber call witnesses.
Mr. McConnell, though, is insisting President Trump have the same impeachment process afforded to President Clinton where the Senate agreed to hear from the House managers presenting their argument supporting the articles of impeachment and allow the presidents team to respond before the senators wrestle with the issue of witnesses.
I think there will be an agreement and this trial will go forward, Sen. Amy Klobuchar told CNNs State of the Union.
All of the negotiations, though, remain at a standstill while lawmakers are away for the holiday break, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi hangs onto the articles of impeachment passed Wednesday charging the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The California Democrat said she is waiting to pass the charges to the Senate until she is guaranteed there will be a fair trial with more witnesses. Democrats have said they want to hear from Mr. Trumps chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and his former national security adviser John Bolton, among others.
I frankly dont think the speaker has the right to do this, said Sen. Roy Blunt, Missouri Republican.
Once the House has spoken, the speaker doesnt get the decision as to whether or not she transmits that decision to the Senate. In my view I think we will have this all handled once we get back in January, Mr. Blunt told CNN.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
The President’s attorney - the Solicitor General - should present a Writ of Mandamus to the Senate Majority Leader NOW, which should be forwarded to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who would be the presiding judge.
That Writ should specify dismissal with prejudice of the case for failure to present and illegitimacy of the charges.
Prolonging this just gives Schumer and Pelosi a chance to try to blackmail McConnell into giving ground, when there is NO reason to give ANYTHING.
Mitch should tell Pelosi not to worry, the Senate “Trial” will be as “fair” as her Impeachment Hearings.
There is nothing to negotiate. Take it or leave Chucky.
I do not think the democrats running for the presidency want it lasting months. Theyd rather it be done now. If not they are literally handing the nomination to Biden.
Nope. Can’t do it, or House R managers will bring in all the Biteme witnesses and expose McTurd and Lindsey and even Yertle’s wife. I don’t see how they can allow any witnesses. If they allow one, they will have to allow all.
I believe it is because the House wanted to get the President impeached before Christmas and didn't want to spread it out for more months waiting for Mulvaney and Bolton to testify.
The House has passed it on to the Senate hoping the Senate can get Mulvaney , who has already put his foot in his mouth by saying that "there was a Quid Pro Quo just get over it"
. Also they think Bolton might get tripped up and add to their case. -Tom
Wait just a minute. If this is so earth shattering, they all should be working on it 24/7 through the holidays. How dare they fly off on frivolous vacations instead of doing their sworn duty.
The United States Constitution, Article I, Section 2, Clause 5 provides:
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The House of Representatives ... shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
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House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House, Chapter 27. Impeachment, From the U.S. Government Publishing Office:
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https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-112/html/GPO-HPRACTICE-112-28.htm
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Sec. 5. Effect of Adjournment: .....an impeachment proceeding does not expire with adjournment. An impeachment proceeding begun in the House in one Congress may be resumed in the next Congress.
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Sec. 8. Following the adoption of a resolution to impeach, the House appoints managers to conduct the impeachment trial in the Senate.
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So, the sole power requires that the rules adopted by the House can only be changed by the House. Yes, the House could change its own rules and the Speaker could appoint themselves.
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Modifying that sole power to force changes on the House would require a constitutional amendment.
WTF? No Deal!!!!!!
Why do democrats ALWAYS get everything they want??? After the way the house treated the republicans, why are they even speaking to them?
Because the letter after the name means bugger all anymore.
A pol is either uniparty or he/she ain’t.
Klobuchar cant even vote as an impartial Senator, since she is running for POTUS vs Trump in 2020.
Ditto for Sanders, Warren, Bennett and Booker.
Congress critters always make deals and rarely do their jobs.
No agreements, no deals...republicans must dictate terms.
You dumb bastiges. You make a “deal” with the house they own you. So much for a bi-cameral congress. Here’s the deal, you march over the documents, we conduct the trial as we see fit. Take it or leave it.
My guess is that they are postponing it to happen closer to the election. The senate can pass a resolution saying that they will not consider any impeachment resolution that is not given to them for more than two weeks after the house vote.
Once the House has spoken, **the speaker doesnt get the decision as to whether or not she transmits that decision** to the Senate.
She must think she can pull another con job like she does with her sheep,it’s getting very dark for the left they triggered the trap door the stand on.
Actually, I think Jim may be right. That has been their MO on Kavanaugh, russia hoax, ukraine. They raise an issue with perjured or irrelevant testimony, the media repeats it as if it’s serious, they milk that until it is debunked and then, poof, another perjured witness talking about another earthshaking issue. That’s been their MO the entire Trump administration.
Ukraine is not going anywhere. If there’s a Senate trial, there will be another issue, more perjured testimony from new witnesses from yet another deep-state agency. And we will spin our wheels for six months debunking it while the Senate cannot confirm judges.
Well....Mitch McConnell did a fine job of not caving on the filling of the Antonin Scalia vacancy on the Supremes, when the Rats demanded that Obloviate be allowed to fill it. McConnell held it open until Trump was elected and filled it with Gorsuch. I believe he’ll hang tough; especially after his recent stemwinder speech.
Exactly. I just heard this morning about “new imformation” that may come forward.
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