Posted on 01/28/2020 11:04:41 PM PST by knighthawk
With several Democrats openly floating the possibility they might vote to acquit President Trump, congressional Republicans are planning an aggressive "Plan B" strategy in the event some Republicans break off and demand additional witnesses in the president's impeachment trial, Fox News has learned.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., privately said early Tuesday that he wasn't sure there were enough Republican votes to block more witnesses, given that some moderates in the GOP's 53-47 Senate majority were wavering. Any witness resolution would likely require four Republican defections in the Senate, because in the event of a 50-50 tie, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts is highly likely to abstain rather than assert his debatable power to cast a tiebreaking vote.
Late Tuesday night, a Senate leadership source told Fox News that Republicans were specifically assessing the viability of two alternative options.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Any witness calling will make this trial last indefinitely, cause a constitutional crisis as the Senate will be unable to do its regular business, and importantly take Bernie, Warren and the Fish-Clubber off the campaign trail leaving the Dems with Biden and Buttplugme against a possible Hillary reappearance at the Dem Convention.
Yes !! In my professional opinion. It would be VP Pence to cast the tie breaking vote in the event the vote is 50/59
This Vice President is constitutionally the President of the Senate and would be asked to cast a vote only in the event of a 50/50 split.
There is no such requirement for the VP to be sitting as the presiding officer. He would simple come to the floor and cast the 101st vote immediately after any vote is expected to be 50/50. The Chief Justice has no legal standing to cast the tie breaking vote.
Just for clarification the 50/50 split vote with VP Pence casting the tie breaking vote being discussed only applies to procedural votes. Not on the vote to convict or acquit. That vote will requite 67 votes to convict and only 35 votes to acquit
I do not believe he can if the Chief Justice is presiding. Either the CJ votes or abstains
I'm not talking about removal (2/3 majority). I'm talking about legitimizing this whole farce with witnesses (simple majority).
Maybe you don't think that's a big deal. But it does create a dangerous precedent.
By not rejecting these unconstitutional impeachment articles straight away, the Senate will essentially concur with the House's new threshold of impeachment -- a threshold so vague and subjective that anything will be impeachable in the future. A fundamental change in the Constitution via a simple majority vote, without going through the provided means of altering the Constitution -- the amendment process.
That would be a coup against the very Constitution itself!
A good article states that calling new witnesses is unconstitutional.
___
Hans (January 29, 2020) says:
"You think there won’t be a civil war if he is removed illegally through a bill of attainder. Not much choice. Rather have our military defend the constitution."
_____________________
Spooky (January 29, 2020) says:
"Our military isn`t interested in defending the constitution or saving Trump.
Most high ranking military brass are as treasonous and corrupt as the coup plotters.
If Trump declared martial law the joint chiefs of staff would stage a coup with the help of the Democrats and Rinos.
Don`t be naive, our military is in the hands of our enemies and could easily be used against us."
*************
"our military is in the hands of our enemies and could easily be used against us"
---- The FBI already is used against us.
I urge everyone to fax these six “openminded” Senators this morning, as well as Senate Leader McConnel, and insist NO WITNESSES be called unless they include both Bidens, the fake whistleblower, and Schiff.
You can fax for free from here:
https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
You can also get phone numbers here:
https://contactsenators.com/party.php?party=republican
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel, Kentucky
FAX (202) 224-2499
Senator Lamar Alexander, Tennessee
FAX (202) 228-3398
Senator Cory Gardner, Colorado
FAX (202) 224-6524
Senator Susan Collins, Maine
FAX (202) 224-2693
Senator Martha McSally, Arizona
FAX: (202)-224-5301
Senator Mitt Romney, Utah
FAX (202) 228-0836
Senator Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
FAX: (202)-224-5301
Senator Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania
FAX (202) 228-0284
Senator Rob Portman, Ohio (doesn’t accept faxes)
Senator Roy Blunt Missouri (doesn’t accept faxes)
....thats two “LL”s at the end of McConnell...
Uh, 67 votes, not 66.
Would also want to hear from Schiff’s staff as well as Alexandra Chapupa…
“Manchin is a certain “no” vote because his state is conservative.”
Where was he when gun control came up?
Or Obamacare?
Or Kavenaugh (until his vote wasn’t needed)?
Or many other Trump Judges?
I’m with you. But here is the genius of Mitch McConnell: He has given the handful of reluctant GOP Senators ample cover when he agreed to have a vote at the end for “more witnesses” After the case presentation, after the Q & A sessions...
In that way, he can get his 50 votes and still allow a Senator or two on the fence to claim she came to her decision after finally deciding that A) the articles from the House do not rise to the level of High Crimes and Misdemeanor , B) No amount of new witnesses will change that or the final disposition and C) She is grateful that the Majority Leader agreed to time for this body to consider the possibility which is all she wanted in the first place.
“Jones is also a certain NO Alabama is Trump country!!!”
You think Jones gives a crap about that, other than how it affects his re-election in November? Once that’s passed, I sure hope you don’t have high hopes for him.
Uh, 67 votes, not 66.
Right but who’s counting?
YEP! Travis McGee has a great graphic showing all the connections.
“John Roberts is highly likely to abstain “
As he should. He is tainted due to his FISA involvement.
“Fox News and the rest of you have forgotten that it takes two thirds, 66 votes, of the Senate to convict.”
That part is a given (and it’s 67 votes). But no, I haven’t forgotten. There are two things at play here where 51 votes counts:
1) Is the ‘trial’ allowed to become a circus, particularly when the end result is a given, possibly damaging him in some way?
2) Will Trump get the additional moral victory of a majority vote to acquit him in the Senate?
For us, it doesn’t matter, since the game is over for his removal, but for much of the country, it certainly does matter.
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